Like Lightning
by Jade-Max
Summary: Post HSM 3 Troy & Gabriella Vignette series as they deal with adjusting to College life and the challenges of going to different schools while trying to maintain and develop their relationship. Semi-follows "Confessions"
1. College Welcome

**--WARNING! THIS FIC CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE HSM 3 MOVIE--**

**Disclaimer:** High School Musical 3 is property of Disney and I make no money off of this; I'm simply destroying the sandcastles - or adding to them.

**Title:** Like Lightning

**Author:** Jade-Max

**Summary: **A series of Vignettes Set _**after**_ HSM 3; Troy and Gabriella face the difficulties of College life and their growing relationship, attempting to balance life after high school and still keep what they share. This sort of follows "Confessions" and holds through with the themes addressed.

**Notes: **Rating is for eventual Mature, adult scenes

**Like Lightning**

_College Welcome - Mid June  
_

"Are you always the last one out of class, or is it a habit you've developed since coming to Stanford?"

Gabriella whirled towards the tree where Troy had surprised her on Prom night short weeks ago, almost dropping her book bag. His familiar voice was laced with amusement and carried almost the same inflections he's used that night. A smile creased her lips as she looked up at him in delight. "Is _this_," she waved to his perch, "going to become a habit, Wildcat?"

Troy sat on the same branch he'd used the last time, his legs stretched out comfortably on the limb, his blue jeans and blue t-shirt dark enough to partially blend with the shadows under the leaves. "Would you like it to? This is actually quite comfortable."

She laughed at him, holding her hand out to him, she beckoned him down - and he came willingly, scooping her into his arms and twirling her about enthusiastically before putting her back on her feet. "Did you miss me?"

The impish question was cut off by his lips settling over hers as Troy's arms went about her and hauled her close. Her eyes closed of their own accord as her arms wound about his neck, her fingers delving into his hair. Troy's grip was tight, his hands splayed across her back as his fingers bent, the fingers of one tangling in the ends of her hair.

"Wow, Gabi, who's the hunk?"

They broke apart with a gasp, Troy lifting his head in annoyance to look at the two young women who were standing at the edge of the small park but refused to relinquish his grip on her.

Even here, among strangers who knew nothing about them and their past, they were being interrupted. On the bright side, they'd spoken up _after _he'd stolen his kiss - the downside was that he'd wanted to sweep Gabriella off her feet and it didn't look like it was about to happen. Her fingers tightened on his neck for half a second before easing back and he did the same - but didn't let her go completely. He'd missed her, counting the minutes until his return to her side here in California and he wasn't about to let her go that easily.

Gabriella looked at the two young women watching them curiously and blushed. Both were rail thin, one dressed in black, the other in blood red - and both were part of her pre-law program. Her grip tightened as she caught Troy's hands at the base of her spine and their fingers twined together naturally. Glancing back to Troy, she caught his annoyance - and shared it.

As least before they hadn't been teased with a kiss, they'd simply been denied it.

"Gabi?"

"She can't hear you, Elaine," the one in red told her friend with a salacious grin. "Can you blame her with such a yummy _distraction_?"

"Do you mind?" Troy inquired dryly.

"Mind? Not at all handsome," Elizabeth fairly purred, her gaze wandering over his form despite the fact Gabriella was practically glued to him from hip to ankle. "Where've you been hiding - and are there more like you wherever that is?"

Troy almost rolled his eyes. Gabriella giggled at Elizabeth's obvious interest and wrapped her arms about his waist possessively - giving up their finger lock - before laying her head against his chest. "He's one of a kind and he's mine." Her possessiveness drew a quick squeeze from the object of her affections. "Elaine, Elizabeth, this is Troy. Troy, these are two of my classmates."

"_This_ is Troy?" Elizabeth's jaw dropped. "Honey, his picture _doesn't_ do him justice!"

"Picture?" Troy looked down at his girlfriend quizzically, clearly discomfited by their obvious admiration.

"The one on my phone." She explained with a smile. "These two nut bars have wanted to meet you."

"Friends of yours I take it?"

"Study buddies," Elaine clarified, her eyes twinkling. "We're _supposed_ to have a session tonight - but I get the feeling Gabriella's going to cancel."

"Do you blame her, El?" Elizabeth drawled. "If I had that waiting for me back at my dorm, I'd be canceling tonight too."

"Do you guys mind?" Elizabeth and Elaine grinned at Gabriella's annoyed tone even as Troy looked at her in surprise. Gabriella waved them away with one hand, turning her gaze back to Troy, but still keeping an eye on them out of the side. "I'd like to enjoy my boyfriend without you two around."

"Good as gone; have fun!" Elizabeth's wink was full of suggestion as Elaine dragged her back the way they'd come.

Gabriella waited until they disappeared from view - and began to laugh softly.

"What's so funny?"

She tiled her head back to look at him. "We spent all of high school being interrupted whenever we _wanted_ to kiss, and the first day you're here to stay we get interrupted the moment we start. I hope it's not the beginning of a pattern."

Her grin was infectious and his lips tugged into a reluctant smile. "Good point. Come on, I'd like to take you somewhere we won't be interrupted."

"Have you been in the city long?"

"Long enough." Troy informed her cryptically, his tone dry and drawing another giggle as he collected her bike and began walking it towards where he'd parked, Gabriella at his side. "How was your day?"

"The best one since I got back," she told him honestly, her eyes twinkling with unmistakable meaning. "How was the drive?"

"Long - but worth it." Rounding one of the nearby hedges, Troy stopped and lifted her bike into the bed of his truck. "It felt like it was taking forever to get here."

Dusting his hands off on his jeans, he pulled her back into his arms, drinking in the sight of her smiling face. Gabriella twined her fingers through his once again, and squeezed. "I thought classes would never end - but you weren't supposed to be here for another month or more."

Troy shrugged, his smile just for her. "I couldn't be away from you any longer - I missed you too much. I figured if I got here early I could look for a place to rent and a job for the summer before classes begin in the fall."

"This isn't just a visit then? You're here to stay?"

"If I can find a job and an apartment, yeah."

"Really?"

"Really. You and your mom might be the only people I know in the whole city, but there's nowhere else I'd rather be. There's nowhere else I _should_ be. My place is here; with you."


	2. Standing Invitation: Take 2

_**Author's Note:**_ My apologies to anyone who read chapter 2 before I re-submitted it and reviewed. I didn't remove it because of your comments - which I really do appreciate - but because I didn't like the way it turned out. I didn't like it when I finished it half asleep yesterday morning, and I don't like it any better now - so **_this is the re-written version._**

I would appreciate your comments on it now that it's been re-posted. Thanks!

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_Standing Invitation - (Take 2_) -_ Mid June_

Taking Gabriella home after his introduction to her two friends - and taking her out for 'coffee' - Troy was pulling her bike from the bed of his truck when Ms. Montez's voice drifted to him and interrupted their conversation.

"Gabriella? Is that Troy?"

Turning his head as he lifted her bike down to her, he half-smiled at her mother. "Hello Ms. Montez."

"You're back sooner than expected."

Troy's smile turned a little sheepish as he hopped over the side of the bed and landed back on the ground. "Change of plans - sorry for just dropping in on you again."

"Are you staying long?"

"Until I finish my degree hopefully," Troy told her honestly. "I've got an interview this evening and another one tomorrow."

Ms. Montez looked surprised as Gabriella pushed her bike back towards the house, Troy beside her. "Interviews?"

Nodding, Troy turned towards Ms. Montez as Gabriella left to put her bike away, and came to stand on the bottom step, placing one foot on it as he waited for his girlfriend to re-join him and shoved one hand in his pocket. "I figured I should have some kind of potential job lined up before I arrived. I know I'm not attending early classes like Gabriella, but the Bears have practice before the new semester starts and working's a good way to keep ahead of the cash crunch."

"And your theatre group?"

"Doesn't start until classes do - which is a good thing," he assured her with another half smile, tossing his head to get his bangs out of his eyes. "It's going to be expensive, especially since I need to find some place to live that's not on campus."

"You're not planning on staying in the dorm?"

Troy looked away uncomfortably. "I wasn't intending to, no."

"Then where-"

"Mom, can Troy use the guest room again?" Gabriella's voice carried from around the side of the house as she stepped back into view, completely oblivious to what they were talking about and cutting her off unintentionally.

"No!" Troy's head came up as if shot and color blossomed in his cheeks as his expression turned comically horrified. "That's not, I mean… I wasn't… I-"

Ms. Montez arched her eyebrows at her daughter and the young man in silent inquiry, looking from one to the other for an explanation as Troy stuttered to a stop. Gabriella slowed, taking in Troy's expression - and her mother's amused look.

"Did... I miss something?"

Troy jumped in before Ms. Montez could get the wrong idea. "I appreciate you letting me crash when I came so suddenly the last time, but I'm apartment hunting after my interviews tomorrow and I wouldn't dream of-"

"But, Troy, where are you going to stay until you find something?"

He glanced at Gabriella with an uncomfortable shrug, avoiding Ms. Montez's gaze. "I came prepared this time; I wouldn't assume -"

"We went through this last time," Gabriella's mother scolded lightly. "I know you wouldn't make the assumption you were welcome, but the invitation stands. You're welcome to the guest room until you find a place of your own."

Gabriella lunged at her mother and wrapped her in a tight hug. "Thanks mom."

"Don't thank me yet," she told her daughter seriously. "The condition is that both of you sleep in your own rooms this time while Troy is staying with us - I expect to have your word; both of you."

Troy and Gabriella shared a look - and heat blossomed guiltily in their cheeks and nodded in unison like errant teens and not the young adults they were. That Ms. Montez hadn't missed the tension that sparked between them was unnerving. Gabriella looked slightly mutinous, but Troy nodded almost immediately; he wasn't about to do anything that would put him on the outs with his girl's mother.

"If you need it, you've got it, Ms. Montez."

"I don't need it," was her reply as she let go of her daughter and smiled at them both. "Since it would imply I don't trust either of you - which isn't the case - but it's nice to have it. Grab your things and get settled - have you eaten yet?"

"We stopped for smoothies," Gabriella informed her mother as she claimed Troy's free hand and their fingers twined together.

"That doesn't really count as food." Ms. Montez backed into the house, talking to them over her shoulder. "There's salad in the fridge and water for the spaghetti on the stove when you're both ready to eat. I have to get ready for work."

"Ms. Montez?"

She stopped behind the screen door, looking at him curiously.

"Thank you."

Her response was a smile and a wave and she motioned for them to continue with whatever they'd been doing before she'd interrupted.

Gabriella tugged Troy away as her mother disappeared, off to the side of the house and around into the backyard.

He went willingly, falling into step beside her. "You're mom's really cool."

She laughed. "No, just practical. If you're here, she can keep an eye on us both."

They shared a laugh as he held the gate open for her and stepped into the Montez's new backyard. A feeling of déjà-vu hitting him as he took in the surroundings; it was similar, almost eerily so, to the backyard she and her mother had in Albuquerque. There was a small balcony above them - an impish smile from Gabriella indicating it was hers - and two large trees shading most of the yard. There was a stack of patio furniture that hadn't yet been set out in its desired place and a tool shed in one corner with gardening tools visible through the partially open door.

The hammock they'd spent a good deal of time in back in Albuquerque was suspiciously absent and a quick, second look didn't reveal its location. "No hammock yet?"

"Not yet; mom couldn't remember where we packed it away and I only found it this morning before heading to class. Want to help me put it up?"

He agreed, and she retrieved it, quickly reappearing as she handed him one of the ends to tie to a further back tree. She held the ends near the tree as Troy tied it tight, adding the tension necessary to ensure one end didn't end up next to the tree and the other stretching dangerously out across the yard.

"My mom's working nights, you know." Gabriella told him finally as he tied off the first end.

Troy was already shaking his head, a half-smile on his lips as he turned towards her. "Much as I love waking up next to you, Gabriella, you know we can't."

"Can we cuddle?"

He laughed shortly, pulling her with him to the other end of the hammock to be tied up. "We'd better; just not in your room or mine."

"What she doesn't know can't hurt her." Her sigh was exasperated. "Besides, it's not like she really expects us to ignore one another while you're here."

"There's not a lot of difference between looking and asking for trouble," he told her honestly, reaching up to wrap the rope around the tree. "And you're doing both."

"Problems with your cell phone?" The impish grin that crossed her lips made his heart skip a beat - it always did.

"Keep it up and there will be."

She giggled at his frank look.

Tying off the rope, Troy turned and swept her into his arms, one leg around her back and shoulders, the other under her knees as he spun her around with a delighted grin. Twirling her about, he let her go reluctantly and eased her back to her feet. She collapsed into the hammock and held her hand out to him in silent invitation. Sitting beside her gingerly, he tested his weight against the ropes before settling more comfortably beside her and slinging an arm about her shoulders. Gabriella curled close and set the hammock to rocking as she pulled her feet underneath her and laid her head against his shoulder.

Troy tilted his head backwards, staring at the canopy above them as the wind ruffled his hair. The silence was comfortable as it stretched between them, one of Gabriella's hands splayed across his chest over his heart. The rocking of the hammock was lulling, comforting and soothing and lent a surreal feeling to the whole affair. It was as if they'd never left Albuquerque; as if they'd never graduated; as if they were still sixteen going on seventeen, instead of seventeen going on eighteen - and the world at their feet.

"Hey Gabriella?"

"Yeah?"

"Did your friends back at campus mean it what they said about a study session tonight?"

Her head came off his shoulder. "If you're going to tell me I should be studying..."

"Well, I'm not going anywhere and you shouldn't give up your study time just because it's my first day here."

"I'm not." She poked him in the chest. "I'm giving up my study time because my incredibly handsome and romantic boyfriend made a point of meeting me at school and reminding me of the last time he'd come. Though..." she tilted her head thoughtfully. "I do miss the tux."

"I'm serious - I don't want to interfere with your studies."

"A day won't kill my GPA. Or do you want to see Elaine and Elizabeth that much?"

"I never said I would go with you."

Gabriella grinned. "The session is supposed to be here since my mom will be out of the house."

Troy looked particularly discomfited. "Here?"

She nodded.

Glancing up at the house and then back to her he made a face. "I take it you do this often?"

"Once or twice a week. How about it Wildcat, should I give El and Liz another crack at you?"

"Don't you dare!" His expression was so comical she laughed delightedly. "I'll have to see those two again, I'm sure, but I have no intention of dealing with them twice in the same day!"

"You don't like being considered the main course on the menu?"

"Not theirs."

"Just mine, huh?"

"Something like that," he squeezed her shoulders. "So coming to see you early was romantic, huh?"

"As if you didn't know it."

"It wasn't intended to be."

"That's what makes it romantic." Gabriella shifted so she could lie her head back on his shoulder. "Did you really mean what you said about finding an apartment?"

"Yeah - why?"

"What if I asked mom if you could stay with us?"

"Awkward much?" He shook his head, resuming their indolent pose from before as he stared at the leafy canopy. "It's not that I don't appreciate the offer, Gabriella, but..."

"But it would be just a little strange," she sighed. "I know. I just... we're going to be attending different schools and you're going to be working; it would be nice if I knew for sure I was going to get to see you every day."

"I didn't come out here early to impose on you or your mom and I meant what I said. I came prepared to pay my own way." He rubbed his hand up and down her upper arm, tangling his fingers in the tail ends of her hair even as he caught her other hand in his and played with her fingers. "Don't get me wrong, living with you and your mom would be great, and it would be easier in a lot of ways."

"But you'd still be living with me and my mom." Gabriella exhaled softly in resignation. "You just want to move out."

"That's part of it."

"And the other part?"

He squeezed her fingers and made to get up. "We should check out that spaghetti your mom left."

"Oh no," she leaned against him, keeping him in place. "You're not getting out of it that easily Wildcat."

Exasperated, he planted his feet on the ground and stood - taking her with him with a half-smile. "It'll be nice to have some place where we're not always worried about your mom or my parents, or Chad or Taylor or anyone else bothering us. Happy?"

"Deliriously." She giggled, looping her hands about his neck. "And starving."

"I thought so. Wanna help me apartment hunt?"

"You find it, I'll decorate."

"That," he informed her with a grin as he dropped a soft kiss on her forehead and set her back on her feet, "is more than fair."

----------

Troy's job and apartment search went surprisingly well in the week that followed, landing him two separate jobs and a one room bedroom apartment that was only a few blocks from where Gabriella and her mother lived. This made it possible for Gabriella to walk or bike the distance after she'd returned home from classes when he wasn't working - and she was given an extra key for whenever she wished to come by.

Gabriella helped him furnish it - though not with much - to make it comfortable and if she spent less time at home and more at his place, her mother made no mention of it. As her grades didn't suffer - Gabriella ensured it - there was no reason for her mother to complain.

Ms. Montez had learned to trust her daughter and the young man who loved her. She knew, if she pushed, that she could force them into something neither were ready for and it was the last thing she wanted. She would just have to continue to trust that her daughter and her boyfriend would continue to be the responsible adults they'd proven to be.

Past history dictated that, together, they could overcome any obstacle and Ms. Montez refused to become one more on a road that loomed with them. If they didn't know what they were doing, together they'd figure it out; she would simply have to trust in that.


	3. Working Man

_**Author's Note: **Chapter 2 has been re-written as I didn't like what I had done with it. So… things will be progressing slowly, which is half the fun and more in character in my opinion for these two than what I had before. And - of course - what's a journey without some bumps and bruises along the way ;)_

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_Working Man - Early July  
_

Gabriella was waiting for Troy, sitting on the worn couch they'd acquired for his apartment when he arrived home almost two weeks to the day after moving out of her mother's house. Exhausted and covered in grime from the mechanic's post he filled in the mornings until early afternoon, he marveled at the fact she was able to smile when he appeared. Smelly, dirty and aching, he was not at his best.

"Hey!"

"Hey yourself," he told her, lifting one hand to pull off the bandanna wrapped around his forehead. "I thought you had some big presentation to attend today."

Her lips curved. "It was at one. How was your day at work?"

"Not bad," he admitted. "All that practice with my dad and my truck are paying off."

"So you can fix mom's car if she has a problem?"

"I could try."

Gabriella laughed, pushing to her feet. She was dressed in jeans and a tank top today, a light pull over sitting discarded on his couch - a nod to the warm weather. "With how your truck runs, she might even be inclined to let you."

Troy held up his hands as she drew near to warn her off, his fingers still darkened by oil and grime he'd been unable to get off. "I need a shower before you come anywhere near me, Gabriella."

"And you, Troy Bolton, aren't getting any further into this apartment until I get my hug."

"I'll ruin your clothes."

"I have more."

"Just who's paying the rent here?"

"You are," she returned cheekily. "But even the master has to pay the toll."

"You're in a good mood."

"I've missed you - you're never around anymore."

Troy didn't dare touch her as she stepped into his reach, and instead of hugging her settled for dropping an affectionate kiss on her cheek. "I know and I'm sorry. Think you can wait ten minutes longer for me to shower and change? Then I'm all yours."

"You're not bouncing tonight?"

"It's Monday; I have the night off."

"You worked last Monday."

"The new kid pulls the short straw." He wanted to hold her, but didn't dare; he hadn't been kidding when he'd said he would ruin her clothes. "Gimmie ten, okay?"

She made a moue of disappointment but nodded reluctantly. "Ten minutes. One minute more and I'll come in after you."

"An empty threat." He laughed. "Besides, you're not that bold."

"And you would be?"

"In the interest of keeping my head where it is? Definitely not!"

He winked at her and disappeared into the bathroom. The water came on almost immediately as Gabriella settled back on the couch, taking up the text book and note pad once more. Troy's muffled voice drew her from concentration as she could hear him sing in the shower and she grinned, remembering his comment two New Years' ago.

_"Yeah, my shower head is very impressed with me."_

Shaking her head tolerantly, she turned her attention back to her books, but the melody he sang was familiar and teased the edges of her consciousness. She hadn't sung since he'd convinced her to come back to East High for the show and the chorus line - distorted though it was - was one she couldn't have mistaken. Kelsi's music had left its imprint on them both and her catchy tunes fit them so well it wasn't really surprising on any level to discover Troy sang them in the shower.

Unfortunately, he couldn't sing the harmonies with just one voice and Gabriella wasn't at all surprised as she raised her own voice rise to meet his own; it was as natural as breathing and simply felt like the thing to do. Singing absently along with the former Wildcat Superstar, she focused on her homework once more, the dull beat of the water lost beneath the full tones.

Troy stepped from the shower eight minutes later, reaching for his towel, and stopped, Gabriella's voice carrying easily through the door - and he grinned as he recognized that she'd been singing the harmony to his melody line. Toweling his head quickly, he then sluiced the water from his skin and wrapped it around his waist. Cracking the door, he peaked into the main room and found Gabriella singing absently as she concentrated on her homework.

He would claim insanity later.

Keeping one hand around the knot of the towel to ensure it didn't slip, he pushed the door open and launched into the duet Kelsi had written for them for the Senior Year Musical, knowing it would draw her attention. "You're on my mind, you're in my heart; it doesn't matter where we are. We'll be alright, even if we're miles apart."

Gabriella's head came up as if shot, spinning to look at him as a brilliant smile lit her face. "Is your shower head still... s-still...uh..."

Lounging in the doorway, Troy arched his eyebrows as she stuttered to a stop, her eyes wide. The hand at his waist drew her attention and color flooded her cheeks as she looked hastily away.

"Still what?"

Biting her lip, Gabriella struggled to remember what she'd been about to say. Nothing, not even seeing him shirtless in his tuxedo pants, had prepared her for the sight of Troy in nothing but a towel and still glistening with water. Well, that wasn't exactly true - she'd seen him at the pool in Lava Springs - but his trunks had been safely tied about his middle. There was something very primitive about seeing him in such precarious attire.

The sudden urge to lick him dry was as confusing as it was contradictory - yet the image of the water droplets sliding down his toned stomach muscles towards that precariously perch towel refused to dissipate.

Troy's amusement was plain when he prompted her again. "Still what, Gabriella?"

Her mind clicked back into gear as she closed her eyes and concentrated, banishing the urge and the mental picture to the back of her mind. She'd entertain it later when he couldn't see her. "Is your shower head still impressed with you?"

Laughing, Troy stepped away from the door frame. "I can't believe you remember that."

"Forget one of the most magical nights of my life?" she slanted him a look before hastily looking away again. "I remember everything you said to me that night."

"Really."

Nodding, she turned her gaze back to her text book. "Really. Just like I know you do too."

"Then, do you remember me telling you that singing with you was the most fun I'd had on my entire vacation?"

"Of course not - you never said that."

Walking across the room, his bare feet leaving wet imprints across the carpet, Troy sidled around the side of the couch and leaned in close to her cheek, his breath feathering across her cheek. Her own caught on a gasp as his lips brushed her heated skin. "I did - except you'd already walked off."

Turning to face him, brown met blue as he watched her from mere inches away, having backed off the moment she moved. "Then how do I know you said it at all?"

"Because you know me," his lips twitched into a faint smile. "And I have no reason to lie about it."

"So why tell me now?"

"No reason," straightening, he stepped back from the couch. "Except it's the truth; and you'd never have gotten me to sing in the Winter Musicale if it wasn't."

Laughing, Gabriella shooed him away. "Go dress; I'll be here when you're done."

It didn't take long for Troy to change into a pair of low blue jeans and one of his favorite shirts - the one with the white body with the orange arms - before rejoining her. He'd left his feet bare and his hair was still damp when he finally settled next to her on the couch, stretching his arms across the back. "Man, I never knew it was so tough holding down two jobs."

"High school and basketball weren't enough preparation?"

"Not by a long shot. Even working at Lava Springs last summer didn't prepare me for this."

"What, no Sharpay to ease your way."

He looked at her sharply, but Gabriella was still making notes in her notebook. "No, as a matter of fact there isn't. Nor is there a certain water bug to keep my company and get me in trouble."

Gabriella elbowed him and snapped her notebook shut before tossing it on the table and turning her complete attention to Troy. His hair was falling every which way as it dried and she lifted her hand without thinking to brush his bangs out of his eyes. "I think you'll be able to get yourself into trouble without me. All this water bug did was follow your lead."

"Taught you not to, eh?"

She laughed. "It was fun until we got caught. It's a shame you're working this summer."

"So're you."

"Yeah, but mine's on campus between classes so it's not really cutting into my day or our time together."

"You'd rather I didn't work?"

"It's not that."

"Then what?"

Gabriella shrugged. "I don't know. I like spending time with you, Troy. And not just because you're my boyfriend."

"We were friends first before we were more, so what's the issue?"

"I guess... I don't know."

"Hey," he turned towards her, his hand brushing along her bare shoulders as he shifted to regard her fully. "I know things are crazy right now, but we both knew this wasn't going to be easy. If we can't make it through summer, how're we ever going to make it through the school year?"

"I don't know."

Her dejected reply had him drawing her into his arms so he could hug her, his lips in her hair as she came willingly and clung to him tightly. It was all in that grip. Every fear she had for them, every doubt; and it made him ache. "I do."

"You do what?"

"I know how we're going to make it."

"How?"

Her choked question warned him of tears and he shifted in his seat, lying back so that she was caught between him and the back of the couch, half sprawled across his chest as he used the armrest for a pillow. A quick shift had her completely caught as he tucked her head into the crook of his arm and he brushed her hair off her cheek, his heart squeezing painfully at the shimmer of tears on her lashes. Her heart was in her eyes and he cupped her face gently, swiping at the moisture with the pad of his thumb.

"The same way we always do. I didn't fight to keep you to lose you to doubts and fears before we even try."

"We're fighting against the odds."

"So?" His lips followed where his thumb had been, kissing her tears away - first one and then the other. "We've been fighting against the odds since we met and we've beaten them all. By that logic, you shouldn't be here in my arms; you shouldn't even know me, let alone love me."

Her lips trembled into a faint semblance of a smile. "No?"

"No." Conviction colored his assertion. "If we'd bowed to pressure - and I'm not saying we almost didn't - you still wouldn't be talking to me, I would be going to the U of A with Chad and lamenting the loss of your friendship without knowing why."

"Would you really?"

"How can you doubt it?" He searched her gaze. "You don't just inspire my heart, Gabriella - you _are_ my heart. I'd be lost without you."

"You can't miss what you never had."

"Are you saying I didn't have a heart?"

She laughed, a choked little giggle that made him grin. "No. I'm saying that if we'd never met, you'd have never known anything but basketball or that something was missing."

"I always knew something was missing," he countered, ducking his head to touch his forehead to hers. "I just never knew what it was until you walked into my life."

Tilting her head, Gabriella kissed him , her right hand coming up to cup the back of his head and tangle in the still damp strands of his hair. Troy obliged her, returning the kiss and trying to reassure her with the pressure of his lips as he poured every ounce of what he felt for her into that lip lock. She clung to him, pressing closer as her left hand came up from between them to join its sister in the tangled locks on his head even.

Her lips opened to his, her tongue touching the fullness of his bottom lip in a tentative bid for entry. Unable to deny her - he could taste her needs for this physical connection in her kiss - he parted his lips and touched the tip of her tongue with his own. Gabriella's curled about his in the same manner her fingers were curled about his head.

Troy broke the kiss with a soft groan, staring at her; she'd never done that before and he wasn't too sure what to make of it. He'd liked it, but their physical relationship hadn't moved much beyond the occasional heavy make out session and a little petting – mostly on her part. It was, he knew, very unusual for a couple their age that had been together as long as they had been; that it was by mutual ascent was even rarer.

"Gabriella?"

Her eyes were stormy, deep coffee black - and laced with embarrassment. "Sorry."

"For what?" He brushed his finger tips over the skin of her heated face. "I love it when you kiss me."

"Not like that."

"It's new," he agreed, rubbing his nose against hers, "but I liked it"

"Really?"

Nodding, Troy flashed a reassuring smile at her. "I just wish you'd kiss me like that when we're not in the middle of a serious discussion."

"I know, I just..."

"Needed the contact. I understand." Hugging her, he shifted his position so she lay nose to nose with him - it meant his knees were bent across her legs as he trapped them between his, but she didn't object. Troy's legs were long enough his bare feet didn't touch her socks. "Things are changing and you're worried they'll change us; I'm worried too."

"I don't want to grow apart from you, Troy."

"Then don't." He nuzzled her cheek softly. "Make the choice to continue growing with me. As long as we communicate, as long as we have each other and are honest, we'll pull through."

"You really believe that?"

"I do. If I didn't, I would have never considered coming to UC Berkley and would instead be at the U of A with Chad."

"And miserable."

"And miserable" He agreed. "But I'm not attending U of A come fall and I'm not over a thousand miles away. I'm right here, wrapped in your arms where I should be - just as you're in mine."

"Where I should be?"

"You don't agree?"

"It makes it harder to leave if I do."

"Then don't."

They stayed in that night, curled up on his couch talking and basking in one another's company. Ordering pizza when they got hungry, it was the only time Gabriella let him leave the circle of her embrace. Even when she called her mother to say she was staying over, she did it from the circle of his arms. The night was indicative of things to come and, in the following weeks leading up to their first classes of the semester, Gabriella would spend many a night wrapped in his arms on that couch as she did her homework, they watched movies of simply talked.

It reinforced their relationship as both friends and more, and only made them both more determined to keep what they had; to make it work and grow together. What they shared was worth fighting for, and fight for it they would.


	4. First Day

_First Day - End of August  
_

Troy nudged the door to his apartment open with one foot and dropped his bag inside the door as he stepped out of his sneakers. Blurry eyed, he stumbled into the living room and collapsed on the sofa with a groan. His first day of actual classes had included meetings that were nothing but a blur, assignments for classes he hoped he'd written down, basketball practice and an introduction to the theatre program's diva.

The last he could have done without - she reminded him way too much of Sharpay both in temperament and in the way she watched him. It made him feel like Gabriella's friends had the first day he'd arrived - like the main course on a dinner menu. To top it off, he'd worked his last full night shift until the end of the semester at his job, gotten no sleep before heading for class, hadn't eaten since lunch _and_ he hadn't seen Gabriella for two days. She'd been immersed, as he was, in preparing for class and - regardless of how tired he was - he missed her.

Even as he sprawled across the worn couch, flinging one arm over his eyes, he wished she were there so he could hold her, touch her - see her. If he could keep his eyes open that long. The fact he'd forgotten to lock his apartment door behind him completely slipped his mind as he drifted on the edges of unconsciousness, his body shutting down unintentionally from the rigorous schedule.

The sound of his apartment door opening and then closing, with the lock being thrown, registered somewhere in the back of his subconscious sometime later, but didn't draw him from sleep; he wasn't able to react if he'd wanted to. Fortunately, as if conjuring her from his mind, cool fingers touched his cheek and her musical voice said his name with those soft inflections he loved so much.

"Troy?"

"Mmm hmm?"

She laughed softly. "Are you still awake, Wildcat?"

"Ugh." He groaned, his brain kicking in belatedly. "I wish I wasn't."

"Rough day?"

The couch dipped next to his waist as she settled onto it next to him, the heat of her body stretching across his chest as her fingers touching his hair. Lifting his arm with difficulty, he forced himself to concentrate - and was rewarded with the sight of her beautiful and understanding smile. His arm dropped around her waist, anchoring her in place. "Rough doesn't _begin_ to cover it. You?"

Gabriella ran her fingers into his hair, a soft smile on her lips. "I got introduced early, remember? And I wasn't working a full time night job until the day before classes."

"I need the money."

"You need sleep more than you need money. Come on."

She made to move, but Troy shook his head, keeping his arm tight about her waist. "Nope."

"Troy."

His name was a warning he chose not to heed. "I'm fine right here. Just wake me at five."

"Five!"

He nodded, his eye lids slipping closed again.

"I will _not_ wake you up at five!" She sounded indignant. "Let me go."

"Nope." He told her again, already feeling the lethargy of sleep creeping up on him. "You're... mine."

Gabriella sighed in exasperation as his words trailed off, his head dropping to the side and his hair falling over his forehead adorably. He was exhausted. Troy'd been working two jobs to try and get a feel for what the hours would be like when college had started, and they'd worked their time together around his shifts. It had meant sacrificing hours of sleep here and there to simply be together, but Gabriella wondered as she watched him if that had been prudent.

Dark bruises of lavender were visible under his eyes as he relaxed into sleep and her heart melted. Troy needed to be in bed - his bed - for a proper night's sleep if he was hoping to sleep well at all. Shaking him, she tried to rouse him, but it didn't work. Stroking his hair, a trick that had worked in the past, did little more than draw her name from his lips on a sigh and earn an approving squeeze from the arm about her waist.

Exasperated, she woke him in a surefire manner by brushing her lips across his.

Except he didn't respond. Frowning, she pressed closer to his chest and brushed his lips with hers again. A delayed reaction made his lips pucker slowly, as if kissing the air, and made her giggle. She did it again, watching as he puckered for air a second time and then frowned.

"Troy."

There was no response and she kissed him lingeringly this time, daring to trace the slightly parted seam of his lips with the tip of her tongue. His parted unconsciously, reacting to the kiss on a primal level rather than a rational one and her tongue teased the inside edges, waiting for a sign that she had his attention. Troy went rigid beneath her and she pulled back, looking down into sleepy, stormy blue eyes.

"Temptress."

"You need to be in bed."

"You should join me."

"Mom's expecting me home at a decent hour. Come on."

He groaned, releasing her reluctantly only to groan again as she grabbed his hands and urged him upwards. Her smile was sweet, coaxing as she led him through the small apartment to the bedroom. She flicked on the light, ignoring the pile of laundry in one corner as she steered him towards the bed. Stopping beside it, she pulled him close, wrapping her arms about his waist - and Troy's arms went around her automatically, his cheek coming to rest on her head.

"This is what I needed." he told her honestly with a contented sigh. "You in my arms."

"What you need is sleep," Gabriella corrected him gently, giving him a nudge backwards. Troy overbalanced and fell, taking her down to the mattress with him when he refused to relinquish his hold on her and she sprawled across his body unchecked.

He rolled, taking advantage of her position, and pinned her beneath him to the mattress, chest to chest. His hair flopped into his eyes and he flicked his head to the side to clear them with a sexy half smile. "What I need, Miss. Montez, is my gorgeous and understanding girlfriend to hold me while I sleep." Whatever exhaustion had gripped him was beat back by the sight of her. He dropped a kiss on the corner of her mouth. "I missed you today."

"Just today?"

"Every hour we're apart," he amended with a grin, dropping a kiss on the other corner of her mouth before bracing himself above her on his forearms. His smile faded. "Stay with me?"

"Troy..."

"Please? Just for a few hours." Searching her gaze, his own eyes held a beseeching inquiry. He wasn't above begging. "I need you, Gabriella."

Just like that, she melted. She could never deny him when he said that. "Alright, I'll stay - but only if you sleep."

"Wildcat honor." Rolling to the side, he made himself comfortable with her in his arms, holding her tightly to his chest. She squirmed against him for a minute before settling down and tucking her head against his shoulder. His lips found her temple in a whisper of a kiss. "Will you be here when I wake up?"

"Depends."

"On?"

"If you promise to greet me properly when you're more awake."

Laughing softly, the chuckle rumbling in his chest, he closed exhausted eyes and savored holding her once more as sleep came at him once more like a freight train. "Promise."


	5. Strung Out

**Author's Note:** Thanks for your comments guys – they make my day. And now... now I'm going to tackle something I haven't before and see how she sails. Your comments and reviews make my day as do the PMs I occasionally get from my readers. You guys are awesome!

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_Strung Out - Mid September  
_

"Honey, I'm home."

Troy looked up at the cheekily delivered line as Gabriella stuck her head into his apartment with a grin. The weight of the textbook across his lap was forgotten in the brightness of her smile.

"You're a sight for sore eyes."

"Aww, did the big bad Bear miss the little Cardinal?"

"Nope," Troy quipped with a wiggle of his eyebrows. "But this Wildcat missed his lunch - want to be lunch?"

Gabriella laughed as she stepped completely into the apartment, showcasing the large brown bag in one hand as she closed the door behind her, her upper body slightly tilted to the side as she balanced her book bag on one shoulder. It was Friday night and their second week of classes and they'd seen as much of each other as they'd expected - which meant very little.

"I guess it depends on how you like your hamburgers."

"Messy and loaded? Is there another way to eat burgers?" He rose to take the bags from her, dropping their dinner on the coffee table and her bag beside it before pulling her into his arms for a hug. She came willingly, snuggling close to his chest and savoring the feel of him. "You don't have to feed me, Gabriella."

"Oh, I know," she tilted her head back to grin at him. "It was as good an excuse as any to escape so I could see you."

"Escape?" He released her reluctantly before settling back to the couch with his books. Shifting them to the coffee table, he marked his page - but never took his eyes from her. "Why would you need to escape?"

Sitting next to him, she pulled both the paper bag and her book bag closer. "Mom seems to think I should be studying all the time - and when I'm not, I should be working on some project or another."

"We _are_ only two weeks into classes," Troy made a face. "It feels like longer though."

"Only because you're working between classes," she chided as she opened the bag and began to remove small Tupperware containers. "Could you grab some plates? I forgot to bring them."

"Huh? Oh, sure." Pushing to his feet, he padded across the small apartment to the kitchenette and flipped open one of the cupboards. A beat up stack of four plates sat by their lonesome and he snagged two before closing the door. Glancing back, he nodded to the fridge. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Water's fine."

Troy pulled the water jug he kept filled from the fridge and collected two mugs from another cupboard before rejoining her on the couch. Gabriella had spread out the different containers while he'd been in the kitchen, removing lids to reveal toppings separately packaged. Beside picnic sized bottles of ketchup, mustard, relish and mayonnaise were processed cheese slices, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, onions, bacon strips and buns all set neatly in a row and Gabriella was pulling a last container - this one insulated - from the bag.

"Are you feeding an army?"

"A one man army." She teased. "You eat enough for four people."

"I do _not_!"

The look she sent him said she knew better. Pulling off the lid to the insulated container, she revealed a stack of hamburger patties, still steaming, within. Troy's mouth watered and his stomach chose that moment to growl loudly. It drew a laugh from Gabriella as she slapped her hand on his stomach and made a grabbing motion with her fingers.

"I think my Wildcat is hungrier than he claims."

"Maybe."

"Maybe?" Gabriella felt more than heard the next growl as his stomach muscles flexed. She frowned. He felt thinner than she remembered; no less muscular, but slimmer. "Have you been eating, Troy?"

"When I remember." He shrugged, taking one of the plates and reaching for a bun to begin loading it up with toppings. "Usually I just grab something on campus before heading home."

"Before or after Basketball practice?"

"After; cramps are not a fun thing to play through."

Looking at him, concern darkened her eyes. She noted, as she hadn't in her excitement to see him, that he still looked exhausted. Not as exhausted as their first day of class two and a half weeks ago, but dead tired. "Are you sleeping?"

"I'm fine, Gabriella."

"You don't look fine."

"Then how do I look?"

His reply had been teasing, almost flirtatious - and she believed automatic. "You look awful Troy."

Troy paused in decking out the bun as he turned a dry look her way. "Thanks."

"I mean it. You look like you're still pushing yourself too hard."

"College isn't a picnic or summer vacation, Gabriella; it's hard work."

She flinched. "I know that; I never said it wasn't. But you're going to get sick if you keep pushing yourself so hard."

"You're one to talk miss dual majors."

Stung, she recoiled from him. "At least I know what I want to do with my life. You're still bouncing between professional basketball and acting!"

"There's nothing wrong with keeping my options open."

"There is if it's killing you. You've only been at this for two weeks, Troy, what do you think it will be like in two months? Two _years_? They only get harder from here and in the summers you'll need to develop your talents or get left behind - can you manage that on top of the workload you've already undertaken?"

"I know what I'm doing."

"I don't think you do," searching his gaze, she tried to hide the hurt she was feeling. They _never_ fought; and now it was over _his _schooling of all things. "You've got a wide range of subjects, courses you don't _need_ to take and too many projects to do in a reasonable amount of time. Where were you going to fit us in?"

He rose abruptly to his feet. "I don't need a lecture from _you_."

Jumping to her feet, their dinner forgotten, Gabriella pinned him with a hard look. "Well, you need to hear it from somebody and I'm the only one around so that nominates me. It's our first year, we don't need to go overboard!"

"You know what you want to do, Gabriella. You're in Pre-law, with the intention of becoming a lawyer and eventually a judge - you have your future all mapped out, every step of the way."

"Not all of it."

"Most of it. I don't know what I want to do. If I don't try different things, how will I ever know?"

There was something under his anger and exhaustion she hadn't recognized at the beginning of this spat - but she recognized it now and it took her by complete surprise. "Troy, are you... competing with me on some level?"

He blinked, surprised by her sudden change of tactics - but didn't deny it as he looked away and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Why would you think that?"

Her stomach clenched painfully as she realized he was still fighting the inadequacies he felt with regards to her strong academic history. Troy had never been more than an average student and while he wasn't intimidated per-say by her intelligence, it didn't stop him from having the odd insecurity about how his girl was smarter than him. Her anger and annoyance with him faded.

"You are, aren't you?"

"Not everything's a competition."

Stepping towards him, she curved cool fingers the tight muscles of his forearm - but he still didn't look at her. "No, it's not. And I won't compete with you in this, Troy. When you made the decision to attend UC Berkeley, you chose it because of theatre and basketball - because of what they could offer you; what they _have_ offered you. A place on the team; a chance to audition and test the wings we grew at East High. You didn't choose to go there to learn law or sociology. You're not a math whiz or that science guy; you're a performer, be it on the court or on stage and that's where you need to focus!"

"I'm not just that guy people can watch."

His muscles leapt under her finger tips, tightening and relaxing as he flexed his fingers inside his pocket. His jaw was clenched as he stared off into the distance - but the way he flinched at her words told Gabriella he was listening. Using her other hand, she reached up to touch his cheek and his eyes closed, leaning into the contact. Suspecting she knew what motivated him, she chose her next words carefully, using her finger tips to trace the line of his jaw.

"I know that. But I love you the way you are, not because of what you think I need or who you think you should be."

"It doesn't bother you that eventually people will take note of the fact you're with me?"

"What - the fact I have the most gorgeous guy at two schools at my beck and call?" Her tease was accompanied with a grin - and drew a wan smile from him. "I've never, _ever_ been ashamed of you, Troy. Not once."

"Not even when I told the guys you weren't important? Or when I let Sharpay and her family come between us?"

"Not even then. I was hurt, but I wasn't ashamed. You're not the guy you were when I first met you; we've both grown beyond what we were. I won't think any less of you for following your dreams."

He finally turned his head to look at her, his free hand curving over hers where it lay on his arm. "Sometimes I wonder what I've done to deserve you."

"Back at you, Wildcat."

"You... really won't think less of me?"

"For what, Troy?" She stepped closer; pressing along his side so she could place her head on his shoulder and look at him. "I'm proud of you for having the courage to follow your dreams."

"You are my dream, Gabriella. No matter what else I do, I don't think I could do it without you."

"Don't you think that goes both ways?"

"With your brains, you could be anything you want - be _with_ anyone you want. And, for some crazy reason, you want to be with me."

"Some crazy reason, huh?" She pressed a soft kiss to his shoulder. "To start with, you accept me as I am and don't expect me to give more than that - but you also give me the support I need to become more than I am. To be whomever I want to be and ignore the odds to succeed."

Turning, Troy finally met her gaze head on. "I'm sorry I'm such lousy company tonight."

"You'll make it up to me."

"You sound sure of that."

"I am."

"And just how am I going to make it up to you?"

"How else?" She arched her eyebrows. "By eating every last bit of food on that table, crawling into bed and withdrawing from the courses you don't need before you run yourself ragged."

He traced a finger tip down the side of her face. "I benefit more from those than you do."

"They're entirely selfish," she admitted, drawing him unresistingly back to the couch and coffee table. "A better rested, better fed and less burdened Troy makes for an optimistic and lovable one."

"Devious _and _brilliant."

"Lucky for you, I'm on your side."

"Lucky... Luck had nothing to do with it."

"You don't think it was luck we met each other that New Years?"

He smiled a real smile - one that reached his eyes as he pulled her into his lap and overturned the burger she had been making for him. "I call it... fate."

"Fate." She sounded less than convinced.

Nuzzling her ear, he smiled into her hair and placed a soft kiss on the shell. "How can you doubt it?"

"I like to think I have a choice in my destiny."

"You do - just not in your choice of partner."

"Namely you, Troy Bolton?" She turned her face to his and stopped when her nose bumped his, their lips a bare breath apart.

"Troy, Wildcat, Bear - it doesn't matter what name you give me, Gabriella." He slid his hand down her arm until he latched onto one of her hands and drew it up so it lay over his heart. "Whatever you choose to call me, I'll be yours long after you get sick of me."

Their lips brushed as they spoke.

"Sick of you? It'll never happen."

"You can't know that."

Turning the tables on him, she shifted her grip, taking the hand that pressed hers against his heart, and pulling it back so it sat over her own heart. The backs of his fingers and hand were cradled along the upper curve of her breast, but she didn't care; he needed to understand.

"I know it, because when I'm not with you, I think about you all the time. When you don't talk to me, I hear your voice saying my name. When I don't see you, I see your face everywhere and when you can't touch me..." she swallowed hard. "I feel your hand in mine. I dream about you constantly, nightly, and I wake up aching and wishing you were there. Your my constant, my anchor and my wings. No one makes me feel the way you do, Troy and no one ever has."

"That doesn't mean you won't tire of me eventually."

Pressing his hand tightly against her heart, she shook her head. "No. It means you're so deep inside my heart, you'll never leave; and I don't want you to. Before you came after me, I thought I would have to give you up for good and it nearly killed me. It was like being cast into darkness after living in the sunlight and knowing I'd never feel that warmth again. Now that you're here, I refuse to let you go because of some cockeyed idea that you're not good enough for me."

"I'm-"

She cut him off with a kiss. It was soft, quick and didn't indicate more than her frustration with him - a deliberate ploy to stop his words. "Let me decide if you are, okay? My mother would _never_ have let you stay with us if she didn't agree with me."

He conceded the point with a tight squeeze on her hand, his still pressed firmly against her chest. "Told you I was lousy company."

Gabriella tilted her head so their foreheads pressed together - and sang, the way they'd often comforted one another during rough spots in their relationship. She blamed Troy for starting it - but they'd continued it by mutual consent.

"Through every up and every down, you know I'll always be around. Through anything you can count on me." It drew a smile. She pulled back to search his, her expression concerned and earnest. "Don't go doubting that now, not when you're the one who had to convince me less than two months ago."

His smile grew. "I did, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did. I think doubts are a natural part of any relationship, just don't keep it in, okay? You were right when you said we need to communicate - so don't pull away from me when we haven't even begun."

"Brilliant _and_ wise."

"I had a good teacher." She poked him in the chest with her free hand.

They shared a smile, sensing that things between them had returned to a semblance of normal, and Gabriella eased his hand away with a faint blush. Troy, understanding the unspoken hint, didn't so much as mention where his hand had been and instead turned his attention towards the dinner they'd abandoned to ease his fears.

When he didn't let her out of his reach for the rest of the night, Gabriella simply smiled and enjoyed it, basking in the attention. It had been rare of late and she intended to ensure it wasn't so rare in the future - and it was why, once Troy dropped off to sleep, she took his text books and separated them into three piles.

One for things she knew he'd only taken in an effort to keep up with her - all subjects he'd pull his hair out over before the end of the month - and another pile of materials she knew him to be interested in. The last pile was a small stack of books she didn't know about and couldn't even begin to guess. It hinted at further depth to the jock than she'd yet seen and the smile that curve her lips as she curled back up with him on the couch was contented.

There was always something more to learn, something more to understand and each discovery they made together only brought them closer. She was looking forward to asking him about those books.


	6. Checking In

**Author's Note:** I've added rough time frames to the beginning of each Vignette so ya'll can get a feeling for how much time passes between then.

I apologize in advance to the Cali's Golden Bears and their players. I pulled the names for the players from the Roster posted online on their web site, including the name of their coach this year. As I haven't a clue about Basketball, nor have I attended College or University so this Vig and the ones that follow require a little research into the systems - in particular the systems at Stanford and UC Berkeley.

I do _not_ know any of the players of the Bears or other NCAA teams personally, and no disrespect is meant to them or their teams as I go ahead with this fic.

And Lonestar's "Say When" Lyrics are used without permission; they belong to the group and their label - they don't belong to me.

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_Checking In – End of September_

"I'm never going to learn this on top of everything else."

Gabriella looked up as Troy slumped down against the base of the couch, tossing the script he was attempting to memorize for the Monday's auditions on the coffee table. Setting aside her law books, she reached for the booklet as Troy tilted his head back, eyes closed, and rolled his shoulders to ease the tension. They were in the living room of the house she shared with her mother – a nod to mother's sensibilities while she was at work – working on individual projects.

Her pre-law program was going well, but Troy was juggling theater, his basketball – they were coming up on their first game of the season - and a full course load on top of holding down a part time job as a mechanic to ensure he didn't have to live on campus. It was still running him ragged, but not as badly as it would have had she not stepped in. It didn't help that the production he was preparing for was musical - and he didn't particularly like the part.

Troy had surprised her by adamantly deciding to keep the Sociology books in the small pile she'd had to ask him about – she hadn't realized he'd been so intrigued by the events that had shaped their high school careers. Both of them had marveled at the way the cliques had disbanded and intermingled during their sophomore year – changed wrought by them – but she hadn't realized he'd been avidly interested in the factors involved. He'd never said anything about the interest before, but it was a subject he was surprisingly dedicated to – and the only subject he didn't ask for her help in.

Using one hand to open the booklet, Gabriella reached out with the other and placed her cool fingers against the heated skin of his neck, massaging gently as she read through the highlighted part he was supposed to memorize. "It's no different than learning one of Kelsi's scores."

"Kelsi's are catchy - that, is garbage."

Laughing, Gabriella glanced at him and then began to hum the tune softly, the part of the piece he would be singing, to get a feel for it. She continued to rub his neck and he closed his eyes with a soft sigh, leaning into her touch. Several bars in, she turned to look at him knowingly. "It's a love song."

"So?"

She squeezed his neck and let her hand drop, drawing his head back up. "Did you promise anyone you'd sing this, Troy?"

"What? No!" He looked appalled. "It's _country_."

"So?" Gabriella hummed along. "What character are you supposed to be singing this to?"

"None, if I can't remember my lines leading up to it." He plucked the book from her fingers. "I don't know what I was thinking trying to follow this whole theatre thing."

"That you like it?" She teased, knowing it was the truth. "Give it here; I'll help you practice."

"Don't you have your own assignments to work on?"

"I'm already finished and now I'm just working to get ahead." Holding out her hand imperiously, she left no room for argument. "Hand it over."

Troy reluctantly did so, his lips kicking into an admiring smile. "You sound like you used to back at East High when you'd _insist_ we practice our scenes over and over again."

"So? That just means that you have the talent and I'm the drive." Flipping through the pages she found what she sought and hooked her thumb into place. "Besides, you always learned your lines eventually."

"I have a hard taskmaster." He leaned in to brush his lips against her cheek. "So what's my reward this time around?"

She slapped the book against his chest with a grin. "If you're really good, we might get to spend a whole weekend together without school work."

"And how, pray tell, are we going to pull that off?"

"Because once you memorize this, we're going to work on your other assignments and if you memorize quickly, we'll have plenty of time to do something _other_ than homework."

Intrigued by her flirtatious smile, he straightened and turned towards her. "Alright, Professor Montez - where do we start?"

"How about here?" She picked a spot two lines before the song and began to recite. "Can you? How can you possibly understand what runs through these veins of mine isn't simply blood? How could you?"

Troy frowned, tilting his head back as he concentrated. "Life's blood runs through all veins Vi; it is the... the... ugh!"

"It's intuitive, Troy. Where does blood come from?"

"The heart."

"Right, which is the..."

He cast her a dirty look - but it was more for his own ineptitude than for her prompting. "The core or source."

"And your lines is?"

She looked so damn _serious_ waiting for him to say his line, he didn't even think about it - it just popped out. "Life's blood runs through all veins Vi; it is the core, the foundation upon which life is built. What runs in your veins lacks the warmth of life - a warmth I can't but wish to give you."

"Good." Gabriella grinned cheekily and read the next prompt. "Wish all you like, for it will not change the fact the warmth you wish to give is one I will never be able to accept."

"Then I will not seek acceptance, but approval."

"Are they not one and the same?"

"This is so _lame_." Troy made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat. "I should just wait until the next piece they want us to do."

"Or ask for another part?"

"This is the smallest part in the show; the lover who's been spurned because she's had her heart broken and no longer believes in happily ever after."

"Are you objecting to the dialogue," she inquired knowingly, "or the fact you've got to solo a piece and have to sing it to someone who's not me?"

He made a face. "It's always easier to sing with you."

"So pretend you're singing to me. I'll be there when you perform, watching you and cheering you on from the pit."

"It won't be the same."

"It wouldn't be a challenge if it was. Come on, just one line?"

Caving, Troy took back the booklet she'd been using to prompt him and hummed the tune. He stopped several bars in. "I can't believe I'm doing this. Who writes a song called 'Say When' anyway?"

"Lonestar, according to the credits," Gabriella tossed back saucily. "Come on, try it; there's no one to hear you but me."

Troy took a breath – and started from the beginning. "Your heart's been broken. You don't wanna open up to me. But can't you see? All that you're needing is someone to believe in you. And when you are no longer afraid, Darlin' I'll be just one word away."

Gabriella arched her eyebrows. "Was that so painful?"

"With you - no. I just can't imagine trying to look at Angelique and sing it."

"A real test of your acting ability," she teased, taking the book away. "Now sing it without the lyrics in front of you."

Troy opened his mouth to do so – but the ring of his cell phone cut him off. Shifting, he pulled it from his pocket and flipped it open without checking the number on the front. "Talk to me."

Gabriella watched as his face changed, a wide grin splitting his face. "Hey dad! It's good to hear from you too."

"Hello coach Bolton!"

"Gabriella says hi."

There was a pause before Troy winked at her. "He says 'hi' back. Yeah, we're doing fine. She's helping me learn my part for the theater audition on Monday."

Sitting back, Gabriella propped her head on one hand, using the couch for support as she unashamedly eavesdropped.

"No no, practice is going good; Coach Montgomery is something else." Troy paused. "Thanks. How's mom… and the Danforths?"

A long silence.

"That's awesome dad, I didn't realize they were starting him at Point Guard. I bet Mr. Danforth is just beside himself."

Another silence.

"No, they're not starting me. I know but... no, it's just they have their starting lineup already and... no," Troy's voice took an edge. "We'll be playing the Red Hawks next month, you'll see me then; you and mom don't have to... Dad!"

Gabriella arched her eyebrows as Troy shook his head in frustration and tilted his head back, frowning at the ceiling. "Dad, just knowing you're watching on TV is enough. You _don't_ have to be here for... no - and I don't have anywhere to put you up anyway."

Troy glanced her way, meeting her gaze and holding it as he answered the next question from his parent. "No, she doesn't live with me."

He rolled his eyes at whatever Jack Bolton said next. "Yes dad. Give my love to mom. Bye."

Arching her eyebrows, Gabriella couldn't resist teasing him. "Is your dad going to crash your party?"

"Party?"

"Game day," she clarified.

"I dunno. Maybe." He put his phone on the coffee table. "I hope not."

"How come?"

"Part of moving away was to get away, you know? I mean, I want dad to watch, but having him here would just make me feel like I'm in high school all over again – and I don't know if I'm even going to get to play."

"You will."

"I wish I was as certain of that as you sound."

Smiling, she cocked her head at him. "There are sixteen players on your team and only five of those can start, but your coach is still playing with his list; you said it yourself, they're looking to mix it up this year."

"Yeah, but freshmen don't usually get starting lineup slots."

"Then how do you explain Seeley?"

"Talent. The guy's good."

"You're just as good as he is." Gabriella shook his shoulder in a show of support. "Don't worry, Troy, you'll play – it's what you came for, after all."

"One of the things." He inhaled deeply and let it out, picking up the booklet holding the role he'd been trying to learn. "I guess I'd better focus on the other, huh?"

"Unless you think you can learn it without me."

"I'm sure I could," he tossed back with a wink. "It's just so much more fun to run lines with someone I like than someone who thinks I'm a theater screw up because of my spot on the Basketball team."

"Ignore her; it sounds like every school has their Diva.

"I try – there's just this image that goes with athletes, you know? Sometimes it's hard to overcome it."

"I know." She shifted closer once again and turned her attention to the booklet. "How are you going to manage the theatre commitment once the season starts?"

"Special dispensation – or so I'm told; I talked to the Prof."

"Which is why you ended up with the smallest role?"

"Something like that."

"Then I guess you'd better learn it." Tweaking the booklet from his grasp, she opened it to the appropriate page. "Once more, Troy; and this time no peaking."


	7. Wapped Up

**Author's Note: **I figured, since this is short and the next one _might be _a bit of a monster (if it's in fact the next chapter I put up) it wouldn't hurt to put this up today ;)

_Wrapped Up – Beginning of November_

The echo of the basketball hitting the gym floor was the only sound as Troy crossover dribbled as he walked back and forth along the free throw line. Practice wasn't for another two hours, the gym wasn't scheduled for any other activity – it wouldn't be until November when the Bears began their regular season on the court. For the moment he had the place to himself; and his mind wasn't on basketball.

He and Gabriella had spent the previous Saturday together – she'd managed to pound his lines into his head – and they'd spent it at Sea World. It had been crowded, noisy and lacked privacy – but they'd enjoyed themselves. Then, Sunday when they'd figured it spend it relaxing - watching movies of all things - she'd been called away and he hadn't seen her since.

They'd talked a couple of times, but she was in a middle of a project that required some dedicated out of class time – he'd taken the opportunity to attend to some of out of class time his Sociology class called for, as well as sit down with his production crew for the theater production. It had been enlightening and invaluable for tips on how to deal with Angelique and added to his arsenal from when he'd been around Sharpay.

It helped that he had Gabriella as a mental buffer and support system. Without her, he wasn't sure if he'd have given any time at all to theater – not when it meant dealing with another Diva.

His bag – throw on one of the benches on the side of the court - began to ring and he jogged over to answer the call. It rang a third time before he found it and checked to see who was calling. The image of the familiar brown haired, brown eyed angel who haunted his dreams appeared on the screen. "Hey!" Troy answered with a grin. "I was just thinking about you."

"_Is there a time when you don't?"_

He didn't even bother to answer her – it wasn't necessary. "What's up?"

"_Are you still in rehearsals?"_

"Nah. Angelique got into it with the Prof and we all got told to run the lines ourselves until Monday. I'm hanging around the gym waiting for practice to start – you?"

"_Down at the courthouse – which is why I'm calling."_

The sinking sensation of disappointment settled in the pit of his stomach – but he didn't let it show in his voice. "You have to cancel again, right?"

"_I'm really sorry, Troy, but this is a part of the class participation marks."_

She sounded miserable knowing she was disappointing him again, so instead he forced a smile she couldn't see, but would hear in his voice. He'd have to cancel the reservations he'd made, but it wasn't a big issue; her courses were just taking a lot of her time. His disappointment at not being able to see or touch her left a sour taste in his mouth; he _knew _things like this were bound to happen, he just hadn't expected it to be so soon. "It's no big deal; I know your schooling comes first. We'll just have to get together another night."

"_I miss you."_

"Me too; are you back there again this weekend?"

Her grimace was almost audible. _"No, but this is something El, Liz and I are following pretty close and we need to organize our notes and do a little research this weekend before they reconvene on Monday."_

Another weekend without her; suddenly the fact it was Friday didn't seem quite as appealing. "Have fun with El and Liz. Call me when you can, okay?"

"_I will. When's your first game?"_

"November fifteenth – it's a Saturday."

"_You're home, right?"_

"Right."

"_If I don't see you before then, I'll make a point of being at the game."_

"Don't see me before then? That's two weeks away!"

"_I know, but this project is huge and I'm practically living in the dorm with them. This is pretty much what's going to give me the step up to ace my final marks-_

"If you do it right." Sighing, Troy made a face she couldn't see. "Do you have tickets to the game already?"

"_Not yet."_

"I'll get you one and leave it with your mom – do you want to bring her?"

"_Mom's not really into basketball, Troy." _He could hear the laughter in her voice. _"But thanks for thinking about her. Liz and El might want to come-"_

"No way. If you bring them, I'll never get you to myself."

"_Who says I'm going to come and say hello – or that I'll be able to get close enough?"_

"I'll leave you something to wear; just don't get caught on your campus with it or they'll tear you to pieces."

"_Oh?"_

"Trust me."

"_Always. I've gotta go. I'll call you tonight if we're done early."_

"I need to work on a Sociology project tonight," he told her quickly, knowing she was only offering out of guilt and didn't want her thinking she _had_ to call. "I need to get ahead since I'll be missing the last couple of chapters we're going to cover in class once the season starts."

"_You don't want me to call?"_

"I'd love for you to call," his admission was soft. "I just don't want you to think you have to."

"_Then I'll call you later, Wildcat."_

"'Til then."

The line disconnected and he pulled the phone away from his ear, staring at her picture for a long minute before flipping it shut. The electronic went back into his bag as he collected his gear. Heading for the locker room, he threw the bag into his locker and then changed, dressing for practice, before collecting the basketball and returning to the court.

When his teammates and coach arrived, fresh and ready almost two hours later, Troy was doing slow laps around the court, sweat beaded on his skin. He acknowledged the hails of his teammates, nodded to his coach, and turned back to the basket to let fly a long shot from outside the three point zone before joining them.

When Coach Montgomery pulled him to the side to ask what was up, Troy responded instead by saying he was ready for practice and warmed up. His coach's lips kicked into a grudging half smile as he motioned Troy back to the others. His words, however, buoyed Troy from the realization his girl was far too intent on her studies to see him.

"Keep it up, Bolton and you'll be on the court in no time."


	8. Wildcat to Bear: Part 1

**Author's Note: **There are 3 parts to this update. Together, they're 18 pages in 10 point font - so I broke them into sections. Enjoy.

_Wildcat to Bear - Mid November_

_Part 1_

"_No_!"

The word left Troy's lips the second the ball slipped from Seeley's hands - and was immediately picked off by one of the Pacific Tigers. With six minutes left in the game, the Tigers were winning, and Seeley's game was obviously off. Whatever was wrong with the Point Guard was costing UC Berkeley Bears the game as he made one bad judgment call after another. Seeley's mind didn't appear to be in the game and Christopher was injured. The Tigers put the ball through the hoop, and Coach Montgomery called for a time out.

Five minutes and thirty points stood between the Bears and victory. Then, his coach did something he didn't expect.

"_Bolton_!"

"Coach?"

"You're going in for Seeley. Seeley, you're benched!"

Troy was on his feet immediately, dropping the towel around his neck as he joined his coach. Coach Montgomery looked furious as he watched Seeley coming off the court, but his words were for Troy. "I know about your high school history, Bolton, but this isn't high school ball anymore. Get out there and look like a team - make something happen!"

No pressure.

"Yes sir." Troy jogged to the referee table and showed his number, going through the procedure for a substitution to ensure they didn't drawn any fouls or penalties, before heading out onto the court.

Five minutes.

Bouncing from right to left foot to set his stance, Troy took up his position as the ball was put into play. It came his way almost immediately, the forwards rocketing down court as he advanced at a steady clip. The ball was passed left and he faked, ducking beyond his mark to accept the return pass before putting it out wide to the right, just beyond the three point zone. Robertson grabbed it and went up immediately, the ball sailing through the air to drop through the hoop without even nicking the rim.

Forty five to Eighteen; four minutes and forty five seconds.

Too long. The play took too long.

The Bears backed away, going on the defense as Randal, the Point guard and team captain, called out tactics to the others. Troy's man had the ball - and Troy ducked in, darting low beneath his reach. At just shy of five foot ten, Troy wasn't the shortest player on the team, but close - and it lent him an advantage he had no problems exploiting when it came to getting down low on the taller players. The ball popped free, squirting out to Boykin. Ducking free of their marks, the Bears fast tracked it back down the court where Boykin shot it off to Randal, moved in and dunked in for another two.

Forty five to twenty; four minutes and thirty eight seconds.

The roar of the cheering crowd was deafening as the Bears rallied, the mascot and cheerleaders pumping them into a frenzy. Troy and Randal put shots to the left and right, feeding the forwards the ball as the clock wound down.

Forty five to twenty three.

Forty five to twenty five.

Forty five to twenty seven

Forty five to thirty.

The Tigers came back, racing down court as the Bears went on the defensive one of their forwards heading towards the corner. He turned, pivoted and went up, the ball arcing towards the net beautifully before hitting the opposite rim and slamming through the hoop.

Forty eight to thirty.

Forty eight to thirty two.

Fifty to thirty two.

Two minutes left.

Fifty to thirty five.

Thirty eight.

Forty.

Forty three.

The crowd screamed and chanted as Boykin went up and slammed in another basket, drawing the game to the closest it had been since the first five minutes when Christopher had been subbed out due to injury.

Fifty to forty five - and the Bears still going strong.

Troy took the ball, darting in to steal it at the top of their defensive key - and tripped. The ball slid sideways, just beyond the reach of his finger tips, rolling across the floor towards the out of bounds line. Players jumped on it as he scrambled to regain his footing, silently thanking the basketball gods he hadn't taken the offensive player with him.

The referee ruled it a Bears ball - and the game resumed. Off the throw, Troy ducked and dove, breaking his mark to get the ball at the top of the key by the foul line. The ball went up just as his arm was nudged, wobbling as it spun through the air. It hit the rim, rebounding back to a Tiger's player who mishandled it and sent it wide.

Kamp, the Bear's center, sent the ball back Troy's way before driving towards the net. Troy ally-ooped the ball, setting it up for a beautiful dunk - which Kamp sank with a mighty two handed swing on the rim of the basket. His grin was feral, daring the Tigers to stop the Bear's charge as they backed away and the ball was put back into play.

Fifty to forty seven.

With thirty seconds left Randal dashed forward on a lead pass from Randal and hit the three point line in three strides. By the time his toes touched, he was already up in the air, the ball leaving his finger tips.

Fifty to fifty - tie game.

The lights flashed across the court as the clock wound down, counting the final seconds of the Pacific Tigers vs UC Berkeley Bears basketball match - the first game of the season - as the Tigers drove forward with renewed intensity. They passed, but the Bears gave them nothing, the clocking ticking down to zero.

Then Troy saw what they'd all been waiting for. A hesitation as the ball left the hands of one of the Tiger's players. Intercepting the pass, he sprinted down court, dribbling the ball to keep it even with him. His knee gave a twinge, one wrist aching from where he'd fallen earlier and a quick glance at the seconds as they reach eight, then seven, told him he had to let the shot fly _now_.

As he hit the 3 point line - the clock reading five seconds to zero - Troy let his shot go, ignoring the ache in his wrist and knee as he focused on the basket. The ball sailed through the air, straight as an arrow before slamming through the hoop and into the net without even nipping the rim, an echo of the short that had started the bear's rally.

The end of game buzzer was lost in the roar of the crowd as they went wild celebrating UC Berkeley first win of the season. Troy let out an enthusiastic yell moments before he was swarmed on the court, almost going down under the enthusiastic slaps and shoves of his team mates even as he shook hands with the Pacific's players.

"Thanks."

"Good game, man."

"You too."

The words slipped out as he shook face-less palms, his gaze scanning beyond the players to the crowd where his girlfriend was supposed to be watching. He couldn't spot her, even though he could _feel_ her gaze on him, and returned his attention to the other players. Shaking and exchanging the after game pleasantries every team on the planet - no matter the sport - made a point of giving, he was heading for the locker room with his team mates when a woman saying his name caught his attention.

But the speaker wasn't Gabriella.

He ignored it as the crowd took up a chant for the team, and endured the good natured ribbing of his mates. Before long, they'd have him pegged at that playmaker dude - he could feel it - and while he really didn't mind all that much, part of him felt like he was slipping into old habits. It was a little disconcerting, especially when he'd come straight from rehearsals to play. One of his team mates was asking about his time at East High when Gabriella's nickname for him caught his attention.

_"Wildcat!"_

Stopping mid-sentence, Troy ignored the puzzled look Kamp sent him, and turned in place, scanning the seats above where they were standing. Gabriella waved from a nearby tier, standing against the railing and beaming down into the team's exit from the arena. It was as if his whole world has suddenly righted itself, her presence being the only thing necessary to bring it back into balance. A grin spread across his features so quickly, so _widely_ his team mate did a double take.

"Who's the broad?"

Still ignoring Kamp, Troy took a quick glance around and ran at the wall, leaping upwards to grab the rail. Pulling himself forward, he launched himself at the upper railing, catching a hold of it in a firm grip as he pulled himself upwards so he was standing on the edge of the cement landing on the wrong side of the railing. Her greeting was so predictable; he almost mouthed the words with her.

"You're so crazy, Wildcat."

"I thought you couldn't make it."

"And miss you making history again?" Her tease made her eyes sparkle as she flashed him a smile. "I wouldn't have missed this game for anything."

"Even if you're cheering for the wrong team?" He dared to let go of the rail with one hand and tapped the insignia over her heart on her sweater. _His_ sweater actually - the piece of clothing he'd dropped by for her to wear, and wear it she had. Catcalls from below were ignored as he leaned forward on the railing, smiling down into her eyes. "You look good in blue and yellow."

"I look better in black and red." The saucy way she said it made the shade of his azure eyes darken. " It's not like you're playing the Cardinals; but I don't care what I look like while I'm cheering you on."

Using the same hand as before, Troy brushed a lock of hair from her cheek and smiled crookedly. "It makes a difference, trust me. Will I see you outside?"

"If I can get there without mishap." she looked around, blushing as she realized they'd drawn a crowd. "You should go."

"In a second." His agreement was easy. "How many people do you figure are watching us?"

"Half of those still in the bleachers - and your team, not to mention the media."

"Good."

Swooping down, he caught her lips in a searing, blinding kiss that drew cheers and more cat calls from spectators. The kiss was fast and hard - and left no doubt in Gabriella's mind she was being branded as his for all to see. Back in high school he hadn't needed to - everyone simply knew she belonged to Troy. He'd picked his moment, one where there was no doubt people from both schools would be watching and _know_. Stanford fans were undoubtedly watching the coverage - for research purposes - and with the cameras on them, someone was bound to recognize Gabriella eventually.

When Troy pulled back, the hand on her face changed its position, stroking her hot cheeks with the backs of his fingers. He wanted to touch her, _needed_ the contact after such a long separation. "Meet you at my truck?"

Nodding mutely, she didn't bother questioning the suggestion; she wanted to spend tonight with him. His eyes spoke in tandem with that kiss, telling her he wanted - needed - to see her alone. It had been three long weeks of hell, followed by the unknown of tonight; unknowns that had left them both anticipating the reunion without knowing what quite to expect. Their gazes remained locked as he moved away, using his hands and feet to trace the railings back down. Understanding and awareness shimmered between them along the feeling anything could happen tonight.

_Anything_.

They weren't ones to get caught up in the euphoria of a win, but they were no longer the same shy teenagers they'd been back at East High. Together over the last three months they'd found a pattern where they could be together and still meet their school and financial obligations. It was liberating adult, despite the fact Gabriella still technically lived with her mother, and the awareness of that fact charged the atmosphere with possibility.

Finding her voice as he climbed back down, Gabriella leaned back over the railing again. "Wildcat."

Troy looked up at her questioningly as his feet hit the ground, ignoring an elbow from Boykin.

"I'll be waiting."

She disappeared then, melting into the sea of yellow and blue that were UC Berkley colors, and Troy increased his pace towards the dressing room. Darting between team mates, he listened with half an ear to the obligatory speech from their coach - before Montgomery pulled Seeley into his office - and then ducked into the alcove where his locker was located; and found himself with two of his teammates.

Kamp, the one who'd watched a good part of his conversation with Gabriella, was unwrapping tape from one ankle. "Man, shouldn't you tell her we're the Bears?"

Troy shrugged as he reached his locker, swinging it open and pulling his shirt over his head. "She knows."

"Then why's she calling you Wildcat?"

"Long story," was his secretive reply. "Good game tonight guys."

"You too, Bolton. For a rookie, you ain't bad."

"I'm just lucky coach let me play," Troy returned modestly, well aware that he would never have been put into the game if Seeley hadn't gotten into it with their coach. "I'm glad I could contribute."

"Lucky. Hey, Kamp, you hear this kid?"

"Yeah," Kamp replied with a grin. Kamp was a third year and team veteran - praise from him wasn't something to be taken lightly. "Luck doesn't have anything to do with it, Bolton. Coach was gonna play you after the way you've been stepping up in practice."

"Just doing my part - it was a team effort out there."

"A team with a smart thinking Shooting Guard."

He shrugged. "I was the Captain on my team for two years before I came here so old habits die hard; I hope I didn't step on anyone's toes."

"Nah - like you said; it was a team effort." Kamp waved away the topic. "So, who's the girl?"

Troy feigned ignorance as he organized what he was going to need after his shower. "What girl?"

"The dark haired temptress you kissed back there. You know, _the girl_."

"Gabriella."

"So're you two serious or what? 'Cause I wouldn't mind a piece of-"

"Hey!" Troy sent his teammates a warning look. "Watch your mouth and don't get any ideas."

"Ideas, us? Right." Kamp slapped him on the shoulder. Athletes didn't need to get ideas about beautiful women. "Sounds like you two have a history. You nailing her, nailed her or what?"

Shrugging noncommittally, Troy checked to ensure he had everything as he placed his sneakers in the bottom of his locker. It was none of their business what his relationship with Gabriella was like. Not that he minded talking about her, but she was his and he was unwilling to add her as fodder for locker room gossip. Despite that, he knew their kiss had already roused some interest - but he couldn't be sorry.

"Worried buddy?"

"Hardly."

"You should be," another team mate - the injured Christopher - offered. "Kamp there has yet to fail with the women."

A smirk crossed Troy's lips before he could stop it as he gathered his clothes to hit the shower - easier to depart immediately thereafter. "You could try - but she won't be interested. She's not into jocks."

"Then how'd _you_ get her?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Leaving his team mates behind, he made his way to the showers, quickly losing the last of his clothes as he stepped under the spray. Keeping his back to his team mates, he dialed the water down to _cold_. A quick shower and towel off that left his hair slightly damp found Troy dressed and ready to go less than ten minutes later.

"Hot date tonight Bolton?"

"Hot date my ass - I bet she looks as good without those paint on jeans as with 'em."

"A looker like that probably gives a mean job - she's got the right lips for it!"

Leaving the somewhat ribald comments of his team behind him - and doing his best to ignore them - Troy headed for his truck. Fortunately, none of his team mates seemed inclined to follow him and the discussion behind him could be heard to change to their win as the locker room door shut him on the outside. Inhaling a breath of fresh air, he made his way to the parking lot.


	9. Wildcat to Bear: Part 2

**Author's Note: **Just to clear up some confusion I've seen from more than one of you :) Troy is not currently working two jobs and doing school; he was working two jobs in the summer. Now that classes have begun, he's only working part time to pay for his apartment. So yeah, he's not spread as thin as you guys think *grin*

_Wildcat to Bear - Mid November_

_Part 2_

Gabriella was waiting for him, lounging on the hood wearing his sweater and a sexy smile he wasn't certain she knew was sexy. Some of the less tactful remarks from the locker room teased the back of his mind and, in that moment, Troy re-avowed to do nothing that she wasn't ready for. To hell with what everyone else thought; they were together - against all the odds - and making this work. They'd had their rough patches - what couple didn't? - but they'd pulled through and were closer than ever.

She was his strength, his weakness and everything in between. They didn't need to rush, didn't need to push - so he did something she wasn't expecting him to after that kiss in the stands. Stepping close to her, Troy wrapped his arms about her waist and kissed her softly on the cheek as he pulled her close.

"I've missed you."

Arching her eyebrows, she returned his embrace and near chaste kiss. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." His assurance was as easy as his smile. "You're here, you're in my arms and we're together. Everything else can lie where it falls."

"Locker room talk?"

He hugged her again, pulling her off the hood and tucking her under his arm without confirming or denying it - though he knew she wasn't fooled. "Let's get out of here. I haven't seen you in three weeks and I want you to myself for a while."

"Only for a while?"

He helped her into the passenger side of his truck and closed the door with a grin. "If I kept you forever, I'd have one angry mamma bear breaking down my door."

"Or you might just get her blessing."

Rounding the truck, he avoided having to give an answer before sliding behind the wheel. "The team's hitting the sand tonight at the break line, but what do you say we do our own thing tonight?"

"And take you away from your victory celebration?"

"It's the team's victory, not mine." Troy demurred as he eased out of the parking space. "I only scored three points."

"Only because you didn't play more than the last five minutes." Gabriella slid over to buckle herself into the center seat so she could place her hand on his thigh - and sit close by. "If you hadn't intercepted that pass, I doubt they would have had any clue you could play as well as you do."

"Point. But the coach does know I turned down a different scholarship and a starting position to attend here. I'm just lucky they allowed me to play at all."

"Liar; I bet they practically begged you to come." Her fingers squeezed his thigh. "And _if_ you have to prove yourself again, it shouldn't be too hard, Mr. Playmaker."

Pulling into traffic, Troy spared her little more than a glance. "Playmaker, huh?"

"Sure. You set up a half dozen baskets and layups, you gave up shots you had a chance of sinking in the interest of ensuring a sure thing _and_ you scored the final points."

"We have a playmaker."

"And he's injured."

"Alright, alright." he conceded with a laugh. "I admit it, I'm enjoying being back on the court, especially with this team."

"But?"

Troy shrugged, covering her hand where it lay on his leg and squeezing gently. "I'd rather have done it on my own merit, not being put in as a substitute."

"Your coach wouldn't have played you if he didn't think you could do it - and you could have accepted a different basketball scholarship and been a starter with the Red Hawks."

"I suppose - but then I'd be over a thousand miles away and no scholarship is worth losing you."

Gabriella was silent. She felt guilty whenever he said things like that because she'd followed her dream of Stanford without a backwards glance, leaving him behind. It didn't help he was striving so hard to ensure their relationship didn't change without both of them changing with it. Not that it was particularly difficult since living so close together - and spending almost all her free time with him - meant they made time, but Troy, she felt, had put more effort than she did into ensuring their relationship grew.

Time that passed so quickly and yet so slowly. Their weekends flew by, small treasures of time they both struggled to ensure were free around his working and both class schedules. Somehow they managed - yet that time was often too short for her liking and reality intruded all too soon come Monday morning - except in the last month.

She'd missed him. Missed his touch, his kiss, his quirky sense of humor and how he always seemed to know how to say just the right thing to make her smile. She missed waking on those mornings together. Mornings she usually woke to find herself draped platonically across him - minus her hand holding his someplace it shouldn't be. The first time she'd awoken like that she'd rounded on Troy - only to find he was asleep and the ache in her arm indicated she'd been the instigator. In those moments of groggy consciousness, she'd learned to be honest about the fact she _liked_ having Troy touch her - she just hadn't been able to admit it to him - or herself in daylight - or found the opportunity to encourage him to do so.

They'd never been ones for overly physical touch displayed and she was a little worried about what he'd say if she encouraged it. Troy, she knew, wasn't about to take that first step - and it was something she'd spent a good deal of time thinking about in their time apart.

"What're you thinking about?"

"Hmm?" She was startled from her thoughts by his soft question as he pulled out onto the main drag. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"You're thinking pretty deeply about something - and you're driving me nuts worrying your lips like that."

It was then she noticed she was chewing on her bottom lip, something she knew could drive him to distraction - though he hadn't said more beyond the cryptic. Letting her lip slide from between her teeth, she looked at him sheepishly. "Sorry. I guess I was a million miles away."

"Thinking about?"

"Stuff."

"Sounds interesting. What kind of stuff?"

She should have known he wouldn't let a vague comment like that slide with her obvious distraction. "The usual. How good you looked in that white and bright yellow ensemble for starters."

"It's _gold_, not yellow."

"Touchy, touchy, Wildcat," she teased. "I thought I was the one to distinguish between the colors."

"You mean like Cardinal crimson?" His grin was rakish. "I still can't believe you got so uptight because I called it red."

"No worse than you about Cal's _yellow_." Nudging him with her elbow, she veered away from the topic. "Mostly I was just thinking about that kiss."

An impish smile crossed his lips before he could school his expression and she called him on it.

"Ah ha! You were thinking about it too."

"Can't help it with you curled close to my side."

"So... what changed between then and your reappearance?"

Troy slipped his arm about her shoulders, his hand settling lightly on her bicep. "Nothing changed, I just came to a realization."

"Let me guess - you don't _like_ kissing me anymore."

"Try again."

There was laughter in his voice and he obviously thought her conclusion preposterous. His thumb stroked the material over her arm and she shifted, pressing closer so he was able to hold her properly. He didn't seem to notice as his hand shifted with the movement - but she did. Even through the bulky fabric of the sweater, his touch was thrilling, the soft stroke of his thumb gliding over the fabric on her arm and teasing the side of her breast.

"Hmm," she struggled to stay relaxed and not press into his unconscious caress. Troy's attention was almost completely focused on the road and she knew that gesture was almost automatic with him by now. He loved to touch her whenever he could - yet he'd stop the moment he realized what he was doing. "You.... realized that your team is a bunch of jocks."

"That too." He slanted her a grin before returning his attention to the road, his hand never ceasing in its mesmerizing caress. "But that wasn't all of it."

"Let me guess," her own tone sounded strange to her ears as she shifted in her seat, unfamiliar warmth curling low in the pit of her stomach as her mouth went dry. She strove to keep her words teasing as Troy's hand stilled, curving around the arm and his finger tips curled inwards against the side of her breast, resting against it lightly. "You realized you're the only virgin in the locker room."

He threw his head back and laughed - his arm sliding from around her so he could grip the wheel with both hands. "You say that like it should bother me."

"Doesn't it?"

"No, and that's what I realized." Shaking his head, Troy checked his mirrors before pulling off at their exit and turned down the side street that would take them to his apartment. "I haven't seen you in three weeks, Gabriella. I missed you and you have no idea how excited I was to see you'd come, that you were wearing my sweater - and that you were alone."

Swallowing, she found herself wishing Troy would put his arm around her again - but they were too close to home and he needed his attention to drive. It was a curious sensation to lament to loss of his inadvertent touch and Gabriella wondered how she could get him to touch her again. Still, despite all of that - or maybe because of it - she strove for a semblance of normal conversation and gave into her need to touch him by placing a familiar hand on his thigh. "You didn't exactly leave me another ticket."

"True, but I'm sure there was a Stanford contingent there somewhere."

"Oh probably; I hear it's a huge thing to scope out the other teams ahead of time to ensure you know what you're dealing with."

"And who told you that?" Troy pulled the truck into his parking space and threw it into park, killing the engine. "No, wait - Liz and El, right?"

"Who else?" Gabriella made to unbuckle her seat belt - but Troy's arms were around her again, one hand already on the metal clasp release, and she turned her face to his questioningly. Normally he didn't presume - but there was something in the depth of his gaze she couldn't quite interpret. "I was excited to see you too."

"I know," he brushed a lock of hair from her face. "I heard you shout when I hit the court."

"Oh really?" Arching her eyebrows, she caught his fingers where they lingered on her cheek and held them in place. "You didn't look like it."

"I had a game to play."

"And now?"

His azure eyes darkened to a deep, stormy cobalt - as if he took her breathless words as a challenge; but he made no move towards her - or to move out of his truck. The awareness from before simmered between them and Gabriella had the distinction she was asking a question she hadn't intended to - but hadn't a clue what it was and was now waiting, anxiously, for the answer.

"Now..." Troy pulled back, out of her personal space with a faintly sheepish smile. "I want you to myself for a while."

"No game winning celebrations?"

"Not in the traditional sense; I was more thinking something... for just the two of us."

Her breath hitched. If she'd asked a question she hadn't intended, Troy had just insinuated something completely, and utterly indecent - deliberate or not - in response. His voice was making her shiver, the way it was low, almost caressing seemed to skip down her spine - and she held her hand out to him so he could pull her off the seat, or pull her to him; she didn't know which.

Troy backed away, faint color on his cheekbones even as his eyes stayed locked with hers. He stepped out of the truck before accepting her hand. His fingers seemed to hesitate as they slid along hers and this time she knew he felt her shiver as his fingers bent under hers and pulled her across the upholstery. That caress, intentional or not, only added to the tight feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"You okay?"

She nodded, not trusting her voice, as she sat on the edge of the seat. He searched her face and she didn't know what he would see. Unable to bear it, the physical responses mingling with the euphoria of once again being in his company, she turned his name into a pleading question, tilting her head in a silent invitation. The _need_ to be kissed was so potent her lips ached.

"Troy?"

He groaned - it was a soft sound of capitulation - and stepped back in close to her as her hands went to the front of his shirt and tangled there. Standing between her knees, Troy bent his head to kiss her. If his kiss at the arena had been a branding, this one was anything but. His hands didn't touch her this time, keeping them planted on either side of her - one on the back of the driver's seat, the other on the steering wheel - but he understood her plea.

Gabriella clung to him, tilting her head under his as their lips fused together in an achingly passionate - yet tender - kiss. It was a welcome, a heartfelt reunion that was a touch desperate as their lips clung and molded, fusing together in a sudden conflagration of intention and emotion; of possibilities.

Troy jerked back as the mood suddenly shifted between them, and she couldn't read anything in his expression as it was shadowed by the darkness. It was late, dark outside, and only the gleam of his eyes on hers was visible in the reflected light from lamps overhead. Wordlessly, he watched her for a long minute, only the sound of their ragged breathing as they slowly regained it echoing between them.

_What had just happened?_

Stepping back, Troy lifted his hands, palms open and out, from their places and tossed his head to get his bangs out of his eyes. He continued to observe her, as if judging her reaction to the spike of desire he was _certain_ they'd both felt. There was uncertainty in his gaze, vulnerability that hadn't been there back at the court.

"Gabriella?"

With a shimmy forward, Gabriella slid from the seat and stepped away from his truck. A flick of her hand had the door slamming shut and then she held it out towards him in silent demand. Troy dropped his keys into her palm - which she returned a moment later once the vehicle was locked - and then stood there waiting, watching him.

"Gabriella?" He repeated her name, uncertain of just what he was asking.

She lunged at him then, wrapping her arms about his waist in a tight hug as her head came to rest over his heart. His arms came up automatically, his head dropping to bury his nose in her hair - he loved how she smelled - as he held her close. Her whispered apology caught him off guard.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Causing your problems."

His laugh was slightly choked; there was doubt in his mind _exactly_ what she was talking about with her pressed from thigh to shoulder with him. "I'll live - and I happen to _like_ the fact you cause me _problems_."

"It can't be comfortable."

"It's a small price to pay for having you in my arms again."

"Does it... hurt?"

"_What_?"

She colored even though he couldn't see it. "Does it hurt? You seem to spend an awful lot of time like that."

"Only around you." Shifting, he eased his grip and stepped away, taking his 'problem' with him. He caught her hand and drew her with him towards the apartment block as their fingers laced together. "Fortunately, there's a cold shower waiting just upstairs."

_Fortunately._

Somehow, with the un-assuaged dull ache in the pit of her stomach, Gabriella didn't feel quite as fortunate as she should have.


	10. Wildcat to Bear: Part 3

**Author's Note: **This Chapter has a _**strong**_ "T", _**minor**_ "M" rating for sexual references and content. And seeing as how I dunno if I'll be on later tonight after all, you get it this morning. Enjoy ;)

_Wildcat to Bear - Mid November_

_Part3_

They'd been up late talking, curled together - fully clothed - on his bed with Gabriella half sprawled across his chest in an effort to maintain some kind of contact and lulled by his heartbeat under her ear.

She didn't remember who dropped off first, but she was roused by his hand sliding from her hip. It moved over the indent of her waist, his fingers faithfully dropping within the hollow to trace its depth before continuing upwards. His movement was lethargic, unconscious, and she shifted, catching his hand as it slid against - and then under - the hem of her shirt and flattened against the jumping muscles of her belly.

Biting her lips, she closed her eyes against the sensation. This is what she'd dreamed about while she'd been crashing at Elizabeth and Elaine's dorm; waking in Troy's arms to his hands where they shouldn't have been - her naughty secret from them and from Troy. Hers and hers alone - except those warm digits as they shifted just barely touching the skin of her midriff were seeking something; and she believed she knew what they sought.

Troy chest was pressed against her back, one knee slightly bent behind hers and the even rhythm of his breathing warned her he was asleep. She attempted to shift, but he moved with her. Rolling, he followed, his hand inching up to settle low over her stomach, his thumb absently stroking the bare, soft skin and she gasped softly. He nuzzled her neck in his sleep, her name on his lips, and she wondered at that moment if he dreamed of her.

She should wake him.

Except she was intrigued. Well versed on the biological side of things - she was a bit of a geek after all - she'd never felt inclined to explore the physical. Not until this last series of weeks when she'd found herself plagued more and more by his image while sleeping; his image, his voice, his kiss - and, most of all, his touch. Troy had magic fingers, magic hands, that were able to sooth while exciting and give both reassurance and trepidation... as they were doing now, with the one on her stomach began to inch upwards.

He seemed to be memorizing her in his dreams, taking his time to touch the sensitive skin and she swore he murmured something about its softness of it into the fall of her hair with a soft sigh. Her breath gasped out, hitching as his thumb encountered the underside of her breast and traced a long, slow line - only to suddenly stop.

Troy went rigid behind her and she knew he'd awoken - it propelled her to act without thinking as her hand clamped down on his, keeping it where it was before he could pull away.

"Gabriella?"

"Mmm hmm?"

He tugged on his hand, but she stubbornly refused to relinquish it. The cool metal of his class ring was an intriguing - and non-consequential - feeling against the heat of her skin.

"Can I have my hand back?"

Her answer popped out before she thought about it - and she blushed. "No."

The sudden stillness behind her was unnerving - but she didn't turn to face him. If she did, he's have the leverage needed to pull his hand away. His breath feathered across her cheek. "Why not?"

"I like it where it is - don't you?"

His fingers flexed on her skin and she inhaled sharply, the elbow holding his hand in place jerking a little. His warmth returned along her back as he eased near once again. Troy seemed to be considering his answer - and she got it in the form of a strangled laugh as his lips brushed across her ear. "Too much. Let me have my hand back."

Embarrassment caught up with her then and she released him as if burned, mortified color flooding her cheeks. Troy's had slid from beneath her shirt - and the moment it was free, she began to roll away.

Except Troy wouldn't let her.

His hand darted back around her waist and hauled her back as she made to leave the bed. Gabriella kept her face turned away from his as he pinned her to the mattress and stretched full length alongside her, throwing one leg over hers to dissuade any further attempts to leave.

His expression, from the corner of her eyes was unreadable and she wasn't willing to face him to decipher it in that moment. The evidence of his desire for her pressed tightly against her hip; he made no move to hide it as he'd done previously. "Gabriella."

Closing her eyes, she knew her face flamed. "Let me go."

Troy's lips brushed her cheek as soft as butterfly wings. "We need to talk about this."

"Like this?"

He eased his grip on her. "We should have talked about it last night."

Reluctantly, she nodded her agreement.

"This will work better if you'd look at me." His soft encouragement lacked any kind of amusement.

If he'd laughed at her, she'd never have been able to look at him again. As it was, she cracked her eyelids and regarded him through her lashes, unable to bring herself to look at him fully. Troy lifted his hand from her waist and raised it to her face to stroke the backs of his fingers over her cheeks. Slowly, seeing nothing but acceptance and understanding in that blue gaze she loved so much, she opened her eyes to meet his.

"There's my girl." His fingers were cool on skin she knew was likely the color of his old Wildcats' jersey. "Good morning."

It was so... _mundane_ she giggled before she could stop herself - and his smile was her reward. The amusement was gone almost as quickly as it came and she watched him warily. "You want to ask, so ask."

Troy didn't cease his gentle caresses, but they changed as he explored the curve of her jaw with his finger tips, the arc of her cheekbone and the swell of the cheek itself. They glided over one eyebrow, as if testing the texture before slipping down again and his thumb traced the fullness of her bottom lip - the lip currently caught between her teeth. His touch was deliberate, exploratory, and his gaze intent as he cupped her jaw; and his question wasn't what she thought he would ask.

"Do you like it when I touch you?"

"Troy..." There was a glimmer of uncertainty in his gaze and she realized he wasn't nearly as confident of her as he seemed. Nodding, she turned to press a soft kiss into his palm. Her color remained high as she couldn't find the words to articulate the fact.

He didn't seem to need them. With a tilt of his wrist, he turned her head towards his and slowly, it lowered to hers. Kissing her softly, he kept the contact minimal as his hand trailed down the side of her neck. Gabriella arched into that unintentional caress as he hit a particularly sensitive spot, breaking the kiss. But Troy, keeping his gaze on her expression as long as he could, replaced his fingers with his mouth.

"Troy!"

She gasped as his lips brushed against the erratic beat of her pulse where her neck met her jaw. While she was focused on his lips and the new sensations she was feeling, Troy's hand swept down her shoulder, over her arm and to her fingertips before finding her thigh. He'd been in such a position to prevent her lifting her hand before - the other was trapped between them in a precarious position he couldn't bear thinking about - and Gabriella took advantage of that freedom by lifting her free arm to twine her fingers in his hair.

His hand slid upwards, over her jean clad thigh to her hip - the same position it had started in during his dream. Based on what he remembered and what he'd woken to, he suspected he'd been acting out his fantasy to touch her. Lifting his head, he smiled as she made a soft sound of protest and flexed his fingers about her hip, drawing her attention to it. She shifted closer to it, encouraging the contact as she watched him breathlessly.

"Do you want me to stop?"

Gabriella shook her head, her fingers twined in his hair, the blush not having yet faded in her cheeks.

His hand slid upwards, staying on the outside of her clothing this time as he brushed over the hem of her shirt and paused. He splayed his hand wide, every fiber of him wishing it he skin rather than cool cotton under his finger tips as he stroked the muscles he could feel jumping underneath. Her breathing hitched for a moment, the erratic sound encouragement enough as his hand resumed its journey.

He marveled at the strength under his hand even as his fingers traced the softness. He paused in the same position he'd woken up in, mimicking the same movements. Almost teasingly, he ran the tip of his thumb along the base of her breast and searched her gaze as if in question. "So... what comes next?"

"I think you can guess."

"Ah," he teased gently, dropping a kiss on the tip of her chin, "but I was woken up at this point."

Gabriella writhed under his hand, the teasing of it and his voice combining into a slow burn that seemed to spread through her veins and took her embarrassment with it. She'd dreamed of having him touch her - was it too much to ask? "Troy... please."

Something in her voice warned him not to tease and his hand moved upwards, cupping her breast almost reverently. He ran his hand across it and they both gasped as his fingers brushed against her sensitized nipple - the hard tip seemed to beg for his touch. He tease it with his thumb, fascinated by her reaction as Gabriella seemed to gravitate towards his hand with a whimper when he made to move it away.

Her sigh echoed his soft groan, and he couldn't look at her, instead buried his face in the fall of her hair to the side of her head as he learned the contours of the soft mound for the first time, taking as much of it as he could in his hand. They fit him, he thought abstractedly, slightly larger than the palm of his hand and curved to the slant of his thumb so he could hold her and stroke that sensitized point all at the same time. That she was bra-less underneath the cotton t-shirt, a nod to comfort, was playing havoc with his hormones and he could feel her every reaction to his touch.

"Troy?" Her hand came up to cup his, stopping his exploration. "You're shaking."

"We need to stop. _I_ need... I can't-" His voice was muffled and strained.

He hadn't expected to be so violently affected by being able to finally touch her. Easing his hand away, he planted it safely on the other side of her as he struggled with control. Anymore and he was likely to embarrass himself in front of her - not something he was looking forward to. Gabriella shifted, the hand trapped between them rubbing against the painfully engorged part of his anatomy that was causing him problems - and his breath hissed out through his teeth along with what was left of restraint. Rolling away from her abruptly, Troy dashed for the bathroom, leaving a very bewildered Gabriella behind on his bed.

"Troy-" the sound of the bathroom door closing and the water of the shower turning on full force were her answers. Pulling her knees to her chest as she sat up, she wrapped her arms around them, her body still humming from the new sensations as she stared at the door and wondered what she'd done wrong. A clearly audible groan, as if he'd hurt himself, came from the bathroom.

Finding her feet, she ignored her own confusion and quick stepped to the closed door. "Troy, are you okay?"There was no answer and she frowned at the wooden portal. "Troy?"

A loud gasp and the sound of something hitting the door made her jump back - only to realize it couldn't have been him who hit the door; he'd have taken it off the hinges. Moving back, she placed her palms down against the portal once more. The cadence of the water changed, as if he'd stepped under the spray and she raised her voice, getting worried. "_Troy_?"

"I'm fine," he assured her at long last, sounding far more relaxed than he'd been bare minutes before. "I'll just be a minute or two."

"Oh. Okay." Hurt and confused - not understanding why exactly he'd have chosen that moment for a shower - she turned away and went straight to the couch to curl up on one end to wait for him.

The sparks he'd caused in her bloodstream continued to linger and she shifted uncomfortably, trying to ease the tension within her frame. The door to the bathroom opened a couple of minutes later, but she didn't turn to look; she didn't have to as she well remembered the way he looked half-clothed. She heard him enter the bedroom, stop and then turn.

"Gabri- oh, there you are." He padded across the room to her, dressed only in his jeans as he was pulling a white muscle shirt over his head - and didn't bother to tuck it in. Crouching in front of the couch, he seemed to understand immediately that she felt she'd done something wrong. "I owe you an apology."

"For?"

"Running out like that," his gaze was direct, but she could detect embarrassment in their depths - and the evidence in the way the tips of his ears turned pink. "It wasn't something you did."

Her lips curved, wanting to believe him. "More... cell phone issues?"

"Yeah. _Major_ issues - total breakdown. I just... couldn't take it anymore. With the dreams and the time apart," he shook his head. "Touching you has been a persistent fantasy for months now. I guess everything came to a point and I couldn't contain it."

"And now?"

Reaching out, Troy touched her cheek with a small, sheepish smile. "I'm better."

"Did you just... you..." Her eyes widened as she realized what she'd overheard him doing and she colored to the roots of her hair. "You did, didn't you?"

"I had to." Red touched his cheekbones as his hand dropped away. "I wouldn't have been able to trust myself with you otherwise."

"Oh." She bit her lip. "I thought I'd done something wrong."

"Not a thing," he assured her with a smile. "Not to me."

"And that's what matters?"

"Isn't it?" He shifted to sit next to her, her toes touching his thigh as he stretched an arm across the back of the touch to tease the ends of her hair. "I'm..." casting about for the right word, he shrugged, unable to find it, "I can't think of a word to describe what I'm feeling right now - humbled maybe? - that you let me touch you; that you _want_ me to touch you."

"Really?"

"Really." Troy nodded. "I didn't, however contrary to appearances, bring you here for it."

"No?" She arched her eyebrows and relaxed her grip on her knees, her feet sliding against the cushion to delve under his leg. "Your kiss at the game yesterday said otherwise."

"Not the brightest move in my career, but worth it."

"So if you didn't bring me here to ravish me," Gabriella tried for a teasing tone. "What _did_ you bring me here for?"

"Disappointed?"

Tilting her chin up, she declined to answer and Troy swooped in, causing her to shriek as he rolled them both of the couch. They landed laughing, the tension between them ebbed for the moment as Troy set about getting her to admit to his accusation and Gabriella did her best to resist. Cocooned inside Troy's apartment, they spent the day together, a repeat of previous nights, except school was off limits as a topic.

It made for a surreal afternoon where they could simply revel in one another's company. An afternoon that was a dying breed and would become even more precious to them both as Troy's basketball season wound up and forced a physical distance once more.


	11. Homecoming

**Author's Note: **The partial song lyrics in here is "Whispers" by Elton John – they're used without permission and don't belong to me.

_Homecoming - Late November_

Troy was back in his hometown of Albuquerque.

The plane had landed about noon and a bus dropped the players at the facilities they'd been assigned for their usage during this away game. There were eight hours to go before game time and Coach Montgomery had given the guys the afternoon to rest and relax. In Troy's case, he'd been given special permission to see his family - a courtesy the team extended to all their members when playing in old hometowns.

Taking a taxi to his parent's house felt strange, but no stranger than knocking instead of simply walking in. When his mother opened the door barely minutes later, an elated grin crossed his lips. He'd missed her - missed her badly. He'd just never realized it until that moment. Without her help, he'd have never made it to California to retrieve Gabriella - without her help, he wouldn't be following _all_ of his dreams.

"Hey mamma!"

She threw open the screen door and wrapped him in the enthusiastic embrace of a mother who's missed her child. "Troy!" He laughed with a grin as she let him go to hold him at arm's length with a critical look. "Why didn't you call ahead?"

"I wanted to surprise you - I get a better hug that way."

"Brat." Hugging him affectionately, she stepped back to let him in. "Are you thirsty? Hungry?"

"We ate on the plane."

With a wave of one hand, Mrs. Bolton dismissed it as if it had never occurred. "Packaged meals; I'm surprised you aren't wasting away. Sit, sit. Your father's still at work."

"I figured," Troy told her with a grin. "It _is_ a school day. If I time it right, I can surprise him and Ms. D. just after classes end."

"Just make sure you see your father first," she admonished, pulling a couple of cold dishes from the fridge. "If you see your Drama teacher first, I'll never hear the end of it."

Smiling a half smile, Troy shrugged. "If I walk in and Ms. D is right there, it'd be rude not to stop, but if I can, I'll see dad first. He'll have practice anyway - and Ms. D will probably be in the auditorium until late working with the fall Musicale production. Some things won't ever change."

"That's what we said about you and basketball." Mrs. Bolton set a tall glass of milk in front of him along with some leftover roast and potatoes. "Eat up and tell me everything. How're Ms. Montez and Gabriella?"

Troy almost dropped his fork. Tell her everything? Not happening. Somehow he managed to keep his grip on the utensil and answer easily. "They're well. Ms. Montez might be moving again for her job."

"And Gabriella?"

"She's committed to Stanford," _and me_, "so she'll be staying. It would just mean either living in the dorms or with m... er.. or finding a place of her own."

"Living with you?" His mother didn't miss the slip as he chewed his food, watching him shrewdly. "Your dad told me you said she wasn't."

"She's not," he hastily assured her. "But it's an option if Ms. Montez takes the job offer. Besides, she's at my place more than she's at her mom's anyway."

"Does she have closet space?"

"Mom!"

"I'm kidding," she assured him with a grin. "But the two of you are doing well?"

"Never better. She's had this huge project that's been taking up all her time and I'm on the road with the team right now, but we make the time to be together. And we talk, all the time."

"So nothing's changed."

Troy shrugged, ducking his head to his plate; it had been too long since he'd had his mother's cooking. "I wouldn't say that. She got me this for my birthday last month." He tugged his wallet from his back pocket and tossed it to the table. Using the end of the fork to flip it open, he revealed a professionally done portrait of his girl.

It had been Ms. Montez who'd revealed Gabriella had taken a day out of her busy schedule to get it done; not just a few hours. Told in confidence, he never revealed to Gabriella that he knew the time she'd put into that picture. Ms. Montez had revealed that Gabriella had gotten all dolled up - had her hair and makeup done professionally, and then sat with a professional photographer until she had just the right picture - for five hours.

The gift of the picture itself had been special enough, but that she'd taken time away from her busy schedule to do something just for him was another wholly unexpected gift, all the more cherished because she didn't _want_ him to know she'd done it and hadn't said anything. Still, however she'd done it, she looked radiantly beautiful and he missed her just looking at it.

Mrs. Bolton touched the portrait gingerly. "Gorgeous."

"Yeah... she is." There was pride in his voice. "My cell picture is newer, but this... this she did just for me."

"So going to rival schools hasn't made things more difficult on both of you?"

"Astronomically so," he corrected with a grimace before taking another bite. "But we're coping. It's as tough - tougher actually - than I thought it would be, but we figure if we can make it through this, we'll make it through anything."

"Sounds like you've been talking about the future."

"Nothing beyond college yet," he shied away from the topic. "Dad was telling me the Danforths are around a lot more now that Chad and I are out of the house."

"It's liberating to have your children out - gives us more time for ourselves."

Rolling his eyes, Troy took a sip of his milk to wash down the last of the roast and potatoes before pushing the plate away with a contented sigh. "Delicious, mamma; I've missed your cooking."

"Yours doesn't live up, hmm?"

"Not by a long shot. I'm lucky if I don't burn the water." Troy tilted his head back to empty his glass and licked his lips when finished. "So what've you been doing?"

"The same as always - except now I don't clean up after you, just your father."

Grinning, Troy collected his dishes - but she snatched them from his grip and attended to them herself. "Ah ah, this is like a mini vacation for you. You can help at Christmas - if you're going to be here."

Troy winced. "Uh."

Her shoulders drooped. "You're not coming home for Christmas?"

"I wish I could, but we play through the holiday season and the winter semester starts at the beginning of December plus finals happen mid-month..."

"We could come and see you."

"I wouldn't expect you guys to change your holiday plans now, mom. I know you and dad want to go to Maui this year; you've been talking about it since I hit high school. The year I graduate from high school, was the year you two were going to spend New Years in Hawaii."

"It won't be the same without you - and I don't want you to be alone."

"I won't be. Ms. Montez and Gabriella already invited me for Christmas dinner and I'll be spending New Years with them too."

"With Gabriella, you mean," His mother said knowingly. "Hitting a Karaoke club?"

Troy colored. "It's," he coughed uncomfortably, "kind of turned into a tradition. Since we met at one, we figured it wouldn't hurt to revisit it. This will make it three years in a row."

"I knew something was up last year when the two of you snuck off."

"On the bright side, we don't always sing the same song."

"I should hope not. What's it going to be this year?"

He shrugged.

Ruffling his hair, she smiled. "Part of the fun, huh?"

"Well, some of it. We-"

"Where's that traitor?!"

The familiar voice ripped through whatever Troy had been about to say as Chad Danforth - his best friend - came tearing into the room. Troy was on his feet, only to be knocked backwards into the counter top with an enthusiastic greeting.

"Hoops, man - I can't believe you're here!"

"Hey Chad."

"Hey Chad," Danforth mimicked, letting him go. "You haven't seen me in almost six months and the best you can do is that?"

Troy laughed. They made quite the pair with him in his Cal's and Chad in his U of A Red Hawks' jackets. "I've missed you man."

"Sure, that's why you never call. Do you mind if I steal him, Mrs. B?"

She waved them away, towards the back door where these two inevitably would be headed, and out onto the practice court. "Just don't break him; you two are playing against one another tonight."

"You're awesome, Mrs. B!" Chad dragged Troy from the house and into his old backyard enthusiastically. "I saw your game against the Tigers; impressive showing, man."

"Did anyone _not_ watch that game?"

Danforth snorted and he tossed his jacket carelessly to the side of the court and collected a ball - the only way he felt natural - from the box beside the court. "You only wish. I can't believe you guys beat em."

"We got lucky."

"No argument here." He bounced the ball to his old team mate. "Looking forward to tonight?"

"So we can kick your butts too? Hell yeah!" Troy did an easy shot from barely feet away and sank it. "How're the guys at U of A doing?"

"They were disappointed you didn't join us." Chad collected the ball and dribbled away. "But they got over it."

Troy felt a twinge of conscience. He'd had every intention of joining the Red Hawks - until he'd been forced to grow up and make a decision that was good both for him academically and personally. Leaving Gabriella hadn't been an option in his mind and it hadn't been something he'd thought about two summers ago while practicing with the Red Hawks and making nice with the Evans. He hadn't thought of a lot back then.

"Yeah, sorry man."

"No you're not." Setting up another easy shot, Chad dropped it through the hoop before Troy went to collect it. "How's she doing?"

"Awesome, just awesome. She's in the top of her class."

"Again," Chad's retort held a note of disgust. "Doesn't it ever bother you that your girl could run circles around you academically and leave you seeing stars?"

"She does that anyway."

"So whipped."

"So jealous."

"How'd she feel about you kissing that girl from UC Berkeley at the Pacific game - or was she cool with it?"

"Cool with it." Troy replied, tongue in cheek. "She doesn't normally object when I kiss her."

"Wait - that was..."

"Yeah. She's still stealing my sweat shirts." Troy grinned at his buddy. "How about you, any word from Taylor?"

"Nah. She's immersed herself at Yale. We communicate every now and again on live chat but I'm once again single."

"And hounding the cheerleaders I bet."

"Hounding?" Chad almost missed a shot as he let out a shout of laughter. "Man, you've been with Gabriella _far_ too long if you've forgotten the way they throw themselves at us."

"Hard to forget when it happens all the time," Troy returned dryly, going in for a layup. "They hate taking no for an answer."

"So say yes."

"Not a chance."

"Didn't think so," Chad checked his watch. "I've gotta run, coach is holding a pre-game meeting in about forty minutes before the guys and I are heading out for dinner to talk strategy. You wanna come?"

"And have Coach Montgomery bench me permanently?" Troy bounced the ball and passed it to Chad. "I think I'll swing by and see my dad and Ms. D."

"If you'd told me two years ago you'd be visiting the drama teacher on a visit home, I'd have had you committed."

"And now?"

"You _so_ get what you asking for." Chad passed the ball back - chest to chest - and scooped his jacket from the lawn. "See you tonight hoops; game on!"

Chad disappeared, leaving Troy to wonder at his cryptic statement, even as he shook his head with a grin. Six months hadn't changed his friend much; it was refreshing to see he could still go home and some things would remain. Heading back inside, Troy found his mother, and promised to see her once again after the game before they hit the road. She then ensured it by lending him her car to get to and from the school.

He felt a little funny driving his mother's van, but overcame it quickly. It was a nice gesture on her part - and it meant he didn't have to pay taxi fare. Parking quickly, he headed for the main door at a run. School wasn't out just yet, but his father was rarely anywhere but the locker room and he could catch Ms. Darbus-

"Troy!"

Stumbling, he regained his balance and froze. That voice was far too familiar, far too recognizable to be anyone but-

"Troy!"

He almost closed his eyes at the shrill tone, feeling the same familiar dread singing with her had always brought. It would have been rude of him, however, to ignore her and he was too well brought up to do it. Turning in place, he faced the young woman who had been Gabriella's prime rival through High School. "Hey, Sharpay."

"Hey yourself." The retort was breezy, striding forward with that unmistakable Sharpay gait - the strut which told everyone she was a young woman of power, influence and money and knew how to use them all. Not to mention she _knew _she was drop dead gorgeous and dressed for it in pink - her trademark color - the mini skirt and boots a dark shade that offset the lightness of her top. Troy could swear he'd seen her in that skirt before - and wasn't at all surprised to find her still wearing it. "So, what're you doing here?"

"My Bear are playing your Read Hawks tonight," Troy admitted. "I figured I'd stop by and say hi to my dad while I'm here."

"And Ms. Darbus."

"Her too." Was this what Chad had meant when he said he got what he deserved? Troy had completely forgotten that Sharpay was helping Ms. Darbus with the Drama department this year. "Are you helping with the Fall Musicale?"

"Of course," she said it as if to question his sanity. "Are you still with Gabriella?"

Troy couldn't resist; he mimicked her previous answer and tone. "Of course."

"Well, are you coming?" Sharpay strode past him towards the main doors. "We'll have to walk and talk to catch up - I'm on a schedule you know."

"I have to find my dad first; you and Ms. D will be in the auditorium, right?"

"Where else?" She turned to walk away. "Toodles."

Ugh, and she was still saying that. Shaking off his encounter with Sharpay, he navigated the hallways that were devoid of most students, silently thanking his timing. If he'd come after classes, there was a good chance some of the sophomores would recognize him. Ducking into the boy's shower and locker rooms, Troy crept along the familiar surroundings until he came to the office where his dad held court.

Jack Bolton was deep in discussion with one of the trainers about the team - and how they weren't too certain just how they were going to defend their championship. Troy leaned against the door jamb and crossed his arms over his chest. "A little Bolton magic should clear that right up."

Jack's head snapped up as the trainer turned, wide-eyed, to see who had interrupted them. "I don't believe it."

"Hey Jim," Troy tossed a jaunty wave. "I hear you're having trouble filling some shoes."

The trainer - Jim - laughed. "Some shoes, Bolton, don't have a chance of being filled. Good to see you; you're playing the Red Hawks tonight, right?"

"Right."

"Sold out crowd I hear. Should be a good game."

Jim left, slapping Troy on the shoulder as Jack rose to his feet, looking Troy up from top to bottom, a reluctant smile creasing his lips. "UC Berkeley seems to be agreeing with you."

"It is. You look stressed dad."

Jack waved the comment away. "I'm no Rumpelstiltskin and you and Chad left some pretty big holes in the lineup when you graduated."

"Most of the seniors do."

"True," Jack sighed, running a hand through his hair as he moved around his desk. "But most seniors, hell most squads, don't have a pair of boys who practically grew up together on the court and can just _know_ where the other will be based on where he is. Rocket man's been trying to take over the squad - team work out there is at an absolute low."

Troy hated to see his dad like this. As a Coach, Jack Bolton was never pessimistic; things had to have taken a drastic downturn for him to be so negative. "Anything I can do?"

"Do you have time to stay for a couple of drills? Show these guys how it's done?"

He shouldn't, Troy knew, but his dad rarely asked him for anything anymore - and it would be nice to get back out on the court with him. Just like shooting hoops with Chad had reminded him of his childhood in a lot of ways, his dad's dedication to the game they both loved was as much a part of him as breathing. "Sure, I can set em up. Rocket man won't like it."

"He's been benched for being an idiot. Officially it's his bad tactics; thinks he's you."

"Has he called you dad?"

Jack laughed, his first real smile crossing his lips since Troy's arrival. "Not yet. I don't need you here for the start of practice but think you can be back in a half hour?"

"Consider it done." Trust his dad to know he wouldn't come by without seeing Ms. D. "You don't mind?"

"You'd be surprised on how good of terms she and I are this year. Go; I'll see you back in the gym for practice."

Those words, so familiar throughout High School and now so foreign, sent a surge of anticipation through Troy. He'd missed this. Exiting the locker room, he took the hallways at a jog, waving to the hall monitor that recognized him before ducking into the main atrium that contained the theatre. Ms. Darbus' voice could already be heard ringing through the air with its round tones.

"Composing is not simply something you do for others, but a way of self expression." She was saying as Troy stopped at the back of the auditorium. He was enjoying the looks of surprise people wore when he appeared the way he had been; it was nice to be missed. Ms. D. continued on her rant, making the students before her cringe. "Singing is too a way of self expression; a way of revealing that which is within you - a way of bringing forth the inner beauty that would otherwise be lost. Now; again from the top!"

Ms. Darbus had her back to him as Troy hummed along with the tune, mouthing the words and a devious grin spread across his lips. When Ms. Darbus cut the cue, furious with her singer - there was no sign of Sharpay yet - and demanded they begin again, Troy jumped in, belting out the tune and drawing every eye in the house.

"Look at me twice with the wildcat eyes. Promise me everythin' except the blue night. Shudder like ice in cut crystal glass. Melt in embraces of crazy eyed past."

As he sang, Troy strode down towards the stage, enjoying the way Ms. Darbus crossed her arms over her chest and glowered at him from over the rim of her glasses. Only through experience did he recognize the flicker in her eyes as pleasure, and not annoyance. She waited until he finished the stanza and then looked back at the staring youths on stage.

"And now that Mister Bolton has shown you all how it is done _properly_ there should be no excuses for a less than stellar performance."

The sophomores on stage jerked to attention - and, surprisingly, the lead male vocalist improved fractionally as he began to sing the lines. Ms. Darbus cut him off after the second verse. "Now, Mister Adams, run through the rest with Helga. I expect an improved performance when we resume in ten minutes."

Ms. Darbus turned her attention to Troy and arched her eyebrows. "I was not expecting to see you quite so soon after your foray into College, Mister Bolton. Does the life not agree with you?"

"It's good to see you too, Ms. D." Troy returned with a faint smile. "College agrees with me better than I thought it would."

"Then what brings you back to East High?"

"My Bears play the Red Hawks tonight - and I figured I'd take advantage of the paid trip home."

"Ah." A smile finally curved her lips. "I trust you find things as you left them?"

"With a few exceptions. I see the Fall Musicale is coming together."

"Slowly. Your senior class left quite an impression on the rest of the students."

"Giving you a wider selection of talent?"

"_That _is debatable. However it is a good thing to see so many students interested in the theater and not just those involved in the Drama club." Her look turned questioning. "And your career in the arts?"

"A long distance one at the moment." He admitted reluctantly. "Once we head back after this game, I'll have to miss a couple of games off to prepare for the opening show with the rest of the class."

"Is it all you thought it would be?"

"It's not like East High, that's for sure." He glanced away towards the stage where he'd discovered so much of himself here - with Gabriella - and then back to his teacher. "But it's challenging."

"I expected playing opposite someone other than Ms. Montez would be." She removed her glasses, her smile kindly. "I trust that won't stop you from trying, however?"

"Nah. Gabriella and I still run lines together and she helps me with the songs. She might not be playing opposite me, but she's a key part in preparing for the role I was given." Ms. Darbus was silent, as he stopped, waiting for him to continue. Without prompting, Troy did just that as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I... don't suppose you'd think about coming to one of the shows, would you?"

"Would you like me to?"

His smile quirked back into life. "I hadn't thought about it until right now - but yeah. I'd like that; it would mean a lot to me to have you there."

"I will see what I can do."

Troy glanced back towards the stage as raised voices could be heard, the words indistinct, and somewhere back stage. He swore one of them was Sharpay and the other... the other sounded familiar too. Ms. Darbus slipped her glasses back on with a frown. "And so arrive Sharpay and Miss Gold."

"That's my cue to leave; see you around, Ms. D."

"And you, Mister Bolton."

Troy departed the theatre before Sharpay could see him again, ducking out as two bundles of blonde and pink stormed into view on stage. Let Ms. Darbus deal with them; it was what she was good at. The final bell rang as he was stepping back into the hallways and students poured in around him. It made him feel like he was in high school again and - for a moment as he headed back towards the boy's locker room - he let himself believe it.

----------

Red Hawks beat the Bears that night - by one point.

Troy was substituted in once more in the last five minutes and, by design, faced off directly against Chad. What followed was a series of fouls, infractions and free throws that skipped back and forth from team to team with each one holding the lead for several long seconds as the ball came back their way.

Scrambling madness and tension built with the roar of the crowd and the players practically fed off the energy. Troy exploited the weaknesses he'd seen in the Red Hawks, taking charge on the court before he thought about it. Directing his team, he called out defensive formations with authority and purpose, deliberately using tactics to foil the Red Hawks attempts.

The last two minutes of the game were intense as the ball went from end to end and Chad, rallying the Red Hawks, did the same. He knew how Troy thought, how he could think on his feet, and their term as co-captains in that last season in Wildcats uniforms gave the game an edge the fans hadn't expected.

No baskets were scored in that last minute and a half as the scoreboard showed the Red Hawks leading thirty five to thirty four, and the clock wound down towards zero. Troy and the Bears gave it one last push as the last ten seconds of the game ramped the crowd up to roaring intensity - only to be denied as one shot after another was blocked, stolen or deflected.

As the buzzer sounded, Chad led his team in a victory celebration as Troy planted his hands on his knees and exhaled, the sudden realization of what he'd done to his teammates bowing his shoulders. He forced himself upright, meeting Coach Montgomery's look - and proceeded to apologize to Randle for usurping his position as team captain towards the end of the game. Randle, fortunately, took it in stride with a laugh and the relief that this loss wasn't sitting on his shoulders - though not for lack of trying.

The Red Hawks intermingled with them then, shaking hands and slapping backs. When Chad came up to Troy and offered his hand, Troy grinned. "Good game, Danforth."

"You too, Hoops. Better luck next time."

"We'll get you."

"You mean you'll try. Good to see you, man; say hi to Gabriella for me."

Troy nodded as Chad moved on. He wasn't overly disappointed they'd lost - the Red Hawks had needed to fight for every basket they'd scored - and it only strengthened the desire to see them win the next time. Still, Chad would have bragging rights until then; which he would no doubt exploit.

Turning towards the locker room and showers with his team, he waved to his parents and then Danforths - who were seated on opposite sides of the gym in their primary team colors. He'd seen them both before the game and knew he wouldn't see them again this trip; they were headed straight for the airport once they were showered and changed. And while he would miss all of them, anticipation burned in his gut; he would be back with Gabriella shortly.


	12. Girl Talk

_Girl Talk - End of November_

"No - and I don't see what business it is of yours."

"Come on Gabi, you're telling us you have that hunk of yours all to yourself and all you guys do is talk?" Elizabeth popped rice chip into her mouth as she pushed her books away in favor of a more interesting topic. "I don't buy it."

"Me either." Elaine supplied. "There's no way a healthy, red blooded female wouldn't have jumped his bones by now."

"We're supposed to be compiling a dissertation on the application of the environmental codes and sanctions we saw in action, _not _dissecting my love life."

Elizabeth snorted. "Honey, you ain't _got _a love life. Bear or not, if I had that dream to myself all the time like you do, he'd never leave my bed!"

Gabriella colored. "Troy and I aren't... I mean, we don't..."

"Aren't what - human?" Elaine arched her eyebrows. "Gabi, you're not in high school anymore - what's wrong with experimenting a little?"

"We experiment." Just not at the same pace other couples apparently did.

"You're still a virgin," Elizabeth pointed out indelicately. "Which means you don't experiment enough."

"For who?" Gabriella wanted to know dryly. "There are more important things in life than making out with your boyfriend."

"Says you," Elaine returned with a smirk. "There's something very _liberating_ about driving a man to distraction so he loses control - in seducing him to the point of-"

"I'm _not_ going to seduce Troy!"

"Why not? Is _he_ still a virgin?"

"El!" Gabriella rounded on the usually more docile of the two. "I know you guys think it's weird, but it's none of your business what Troy and I do or don't do behind closed doors. Can we _please_ get back to the project?"

Elizabeth reached for another chip. "Actually, since you introduced him to us, it's become our business. Men are men, Gabi; they want one thing and one thing only. That yours is just more patient or calculating about it doesn't mean he doesn't want to nail you."

Gabriella slammed her book closed. "Troy is a _gentleman_, Liz - and I'm not going to waste my time arguing with the two of you about the merits of waiting until I feel I'm ready for that step when we have a project to finish."

Elaine and Elizabeth shared a look and broke into laughter. "She didn't deny it, notice that El?"

"Sure did. Come on, Gabi, spill - Troy finds you attractive, right?"

"For more than just my body, thank you _very much_." Collecting her books, Gabriella tossed them a disgusted look.  
"He's not as shallow as that football player you dated during the summer."

"Zing, point to Gabi," Elizabeth crowed with a smirk, enjoying the normally docile Gabriella's show of temper. "So your man has scruples - that doesn't mean he still doesn't want to nail you. A guy is still a guy, no matter what manners he possesses."

Stuffing her books into her bag and zipping her bag closed with a vicious tug, Gabriella pushed to her feet. "I'll study at Troy's - at least _he_ doesn't waste my time with useless talk!" Not that he was home at that moment, being that he was in Albuquerque to play the Red Hawks - but that was beside the point.

"Bet he'd like to 'waste' your time doing something else." Elaine shot back. "Troy's no saint, no matter how high on that pedestal you put him."

Gabriella leaned over the table to glare at the two other women equally. "Troy may not be a saint, but at least he trusts me and respects my privacy - just as I do his."

"Secrets are a very bad thing in a long lasting relationship."

"What would you know about them? You go through men like they're towels and brag about it. Have you _ever_ been in a relationship for more than three weeks?"

"For your information," Elizabeth returned smugly. "My high school boyfriend and I were steady over six months."

"And mine," added Elaine, "was my best friend in junior high. You're not the only one with a track record."

"A _serious_ relationship girls." Gabriella scoffed. "Neither of you would know what that was if it hit you in the face. How old were you when your slept with him, El? Fourteen?"

"Fifteen, actually." Was the smug reply.

"And you Liz?"

"The same."

"And where are those boys now?"

Elizabeth and Elaine shared a look and then shrugged nonchalantly. "Who cares."

"Exactly."

"And just _what_ do you mean by that?"

Gabriella's smile turned smug as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Both of you lost your high school boy toys. Was there anything more there than the physical attraction?"

"Is there anything else?"

"I'm serious, Liz. Was there anything more between you and the boy you were with than chemistry?"

"It's called _sex_," Elaine put in helpfully - and was ignored.

"Of course not," scoffed Elizabeth. "Ryan was nice, but he was better looking than he was smart; and he had the biggest-"

"_Stop_!" Gabriella slapped her hands over her ears, her face flaming. "I don't want to hear it. There is more to a guy than his looks or what hangs between his legs!"

Elaine snickered. "You couldn't say that without blushing if you tried."

"It's not a crime to be innocent."

"Honey, it should be a crime when you've got that good looking of a man who's not getting any."

"I'd be careful, Gabi - if Troy doesn't get some from you eventually, he'll go looking somewhere else."

"Troy isn't like that."

"He's a guy," Liz answered sagely. "Guys need to get laid or it screws with their heads - both of em."

"You're wrong. Troy was my friend before he was my boyfriend. We have more than just chemistry, more than just physical attraction and that neither of you have _ever_ felt something even remotely close to the way I feel for him is the _only_ reason I'm having this discussion at all. You can't possibly understand."

"What, love?" Elaine arched her eyebrows and waggled them. "Love is an excuse to procreate something guys tell you so they'll get into your pants and forget about once they leave you without saying goodbye. If you're really lucky, they stick around a time or two, try and show you something you've never done before and give you some pretty awesome memories to masturbate to."

"_Elaine_!" Gabriella's face burned even hotter.

"Don't be such a prude, Gabi; masturbation is perfectly normal."

"I'm _not_ getting into this."

"I bet Troy would like to get into you."

"I've had it with you two!"

"Aww, come on, Gabi, don't be like that. We just don't want to see you get your heart broken when Troy finally moves on. You're a Cardinal; he's a Bear - it can't work."

Gabriella was at the door when Elaine chose to get in her parting shot. Taking a deep, steadying breath, Gabriella turned with a surprisingly controlled smile on her face, her eyes glittering with suppressed anger. "Whatever happens between Troy and I is _between Troy and I_. Any parting we _might _face in the future will be mutual - it's what _friends_ do - and _not _because of what school we attend! When the two of you are ready to study _Law_ again, let me know."

Leaving the dorm, Gabriella walked swiftly to where she'd left her bike locked up. Troy was in Albuquerque for his game against the Red Hawks and wouldn't be home until early morning and she'd _intended_ to finish off the last of the dissertation they'd been working on as a joint project. She'd already handed in the other three major projects she'd needed for her classes and if she'd managed to get this one done tonight, her time would be her own until exams - which meant the possibility of more time with Troy even if it meant they were just studying for finals together.

Unlocking her bike with swift, jerky movements, she couldn't believe her study group; how did they even _think _what she did or didn't do with Troy was any of their business? She was seventeen - eighteen in less than two weeks - and it wasn't as if she was in any rush to explore the pleasures of the flesh Elaine and Elizabeth seemed to put so much stock in.

The wind tugged at her hair and her clothes as she rode away from Stanford, keeping to the well lit pathways that would take her either home - or to Troy's. The breeze caressed her face, cooling heated cheeks, and doubt was given time to creep in as her feet pedaled rhythmically. Could her study buddies know something she didn't? College changed people every day and they knew about men in general - at least, the men they'd been involved with - and she knew very little beyond her experiences with Troy.

Her _minimal_ experiences with Troy.

Could they be right? Could they know something she didn't or was it just a jaded view of things their experiences dictated they know? Was what she had with Troy so abnormal, so beyond the realm of understanding that their age group couldn't hope to accept it? Was it something so... _strange_? In High School she hadn't thought so, but then everyone had been so accepting, so supportive - so _understanding_. Here, they lacked that support structure and had only one another to lean on.

Since hitting college, anyone who found out about her relationship - be it study partners, focus groups or just acquaintances - only seemed interested in what they did between the sheets. College was like one big cesspool of tips and hints and secrets about how to please your partner. Sex chat disguised as school work. And _if_ they found out - like Elaine and Elizabeth - that there was nothing happening, it was met with blatant disbelief or scoffing. She couldn't count the number of times she'd been accused of being a liar or, worse, hanging out with him to hide her true orientation.

Normally she could brush off the comments, but since the last time she'd spend the night at his place, Troy hadn't so much as kissed her and she'd been questioning the wisdom of her actions. It felt as if he was distancing himself, intentionally or not, from what had happened; as if he didn't want it to happen again.

Could it be that was the case?

Her heart ached thinking it as she rode past the turn off that would take her to Troy's empty apartment, and headed instead for home. Their relationship wasn't perfect, but surely the physical aspects of it weren't intimidating to him – he _had _said he was looking forward to the day they would do more, but not until they were ready. Could it simply be he wasn't ready, or that he wasn't ready to take that step with her? Confused and silently cursing herself a fool for even considering Elizabeth and Elaine's comments – for letting them affect her when they shouldn't be able to - she tried to push them away.

Yet they refused to go. It wouldn't be bothering her if there wasn't something to it, and until she knew exactly what, she couldn't bring it up with Troy.

----------

Early that morning as Gabriella was re-writing the end of their dissertation, she received text message from Elaine that read:

_Google the "Golden Kissing Bear"_

_We didn't want to hurt u, but how much proof do u need?_

_It makes 2 - and who knows how many others since the season started_

Lips thinning, Gabriella glared at the message, wondering what exactly they were getting at. Despite the tight feeling in her stomach, she opened her browser and Googled the phrase. The links appeared swiftly, including a video on _You Tube_, but she clicked on the first link - and sat back in surprise.

Photos glared at her from the computer screen.

One was of her and Troy at the first game of the Bear's season when he'd kissed her in front of everyone. Her own features were indistinct but the number on his jersey was clearly visible. That her friends didn't know it was her in that photograph was obvious and she spared it barely a look. She well remembered how that kiss had made her toes curl and didn't need photographic evidence to revisit it. Just thinking about that night was enough to make her ache - and not all in good ways.

Scrolling down, she stopped, her finger poised over the mouse wheel as the second photo held her attention and everything Elaine and Elizabeth had been trying to tell her suddenly ricocheted around inside her head.

A red headed cheerleader from Albuquerque clung to Troy, her legs around his waist, her hands wrapped around his head - and her lips glued to his. Troy's hands were on her back, fisted in her jersey.

It took mere moments of looking at the picture to push those thoughts to the recesses of her mind. Gabriella closed the window with a deliberate click; there was an explanation for it - a good one, she was certain. Despite her doubts about certain aspects of their relationship, she didn't even consider what the picture implied; she trusted him implicitly.

Troy would never, _ever_ cheat on her.


	13. To Be Wanted

**Author's Note:** Well, that last chapter certainly caused some... interesting reactions from you guys *laughs* I'm glad you're all enjoying this so much you're getting upset at an implication – for the record this is a Troy/Gabriella story; I have no intention of breaking them up – but that doesn't mean there won't be misunderstandings, rough patches or other bumps along their road.

Thanks for reading guys *grin*

----------

_To Be Wanted - Beginning of December_

"Nothin' but net!"

There were hoots as Troy sank a three pointer and he grinned, moving to grab the ball and dribbled it out of the way. It hadn't taken him long to hook up with a couple of guys on his new squad for shooting hoops for the hell of it - and while he knew they were still curious over what had transpired after the Pacific game - and where Gabriella was from - he hadn't enlightened them and didn't intend to.

His and Gabriella's relationship was not a topic for their consumption and never would be.

He'd come home from their game against the Red Hawks and thrown himself into the theatre side of his college life after explaining to his coach the necessity of focusing on the other aspects of his education. Coach Montgomery had understood and his only conditions were that Troy be available for practices and team meetings - and the _occasional_ game. Troy had gone the next step up and set up a two on two game with the guys while Gabriella was focusing on her dissertations and course work.

His team mates got a kick out of practicing in the "Tree's" back yard.

Troy and Gabriella had talked only once since then - when he'd called her to let her know he was home safely. She'd been half asleep and barely coherent, saying something about she was re-writing the final portion of the dissertation; the last final project she had to hand in. He'd been tempted to go over and crawl in with her, but the last time her mother had found them that way, she'd made it very clear she didn't approve of it in her household. So instead, he'd simply told her to call him when she was done so they could hang out; that had been three days ago and he hadn't heard from her since - and Gabriella _never_ took three days to write something she could finish in one.

Not that he couldn't call her, but if she was busy, he didn't want to seem desperate for her company... even if that was the case. He'd texted her a couple of times, but her replies had always been short – and lacking information.

After having spoken to her almost every day since their relationship had started - minus several rough patches - the loss was as disturbing as it had been the first time. She was supposed to be doing her last class presentation today - he had it marked in his calendar - and intended to surprise her afterwards to celebrate. He wanted to see her, missed her, and was practically humming with anticipation.

His team mates had ribbed him about his habit of calling his girlfriend - he hadn't tried to hide it - but he figured they were getting accustomed to it. And, if they didn't, he really didn't care. It had nothing to do with them anyway.

"Hey Bolton. Isn't that your girl headed this way?"

Kamp pointed behind Troy - who turned to find Gabriella approaching the basketball court like a thunder cloud. Her expression was as stormy and as unnerving as her disjointed, furious gait. Her book bag was nowhere to be seen and her bike lay on its side on the edge of the park - discarded in a careless fashion Gabriella _never _used.

"I dunno what you did, man, but she's pissed."

_No kidding._ Troy couldn't remember ever seeing Gabriella that angry. Sure, she'd let Sharpay have it the summer they'd worked at Lava Springs, but that had been a hiccup compared to the avenging angel swooping towards him - and he hadn't a clue what he'd done to deserve it. He passed the ball to Kamp.

"Back in a minute, guys."

His team mates snickered, one making a crack about ill pleased women that he ignored. Grabbing a towel from where he'd left it on his bag, Troy ran it over his face as he jogged out to meet his girlfriend. She was steamed - and it was the first time she'd come looking for him at the hoops where he played with the team. Distancing himself from the guys, he had no desire for them to hear whatever she had to say, he stopped when she was a few steps from him.

She looked like an avenging angel, and he gripped the ends of the towel to give his hands something to do. If he didn't, he was going to reach for her, take her in his arms and _not_ be responsible for his actions. He'd been waiting to see her since he'd gotten back from Albuquerque - though he'd never dreamed it would start with her fury.

"Gabriella - are you alright?"

Stopping, Gabriella looked at him with flashing eyes, deliberately raking him from head to toe as her gaze travelled from the tip of his sweat-sheened hair, down across the muscular chest barely concealed by his brief t-shirt. They lingered for a long moment where his shorts began before skimming down over bare legs to the sneakers on his feet. The deliberate assessment of his physical person was as uncomfortable as it was unusual - not to mention a completely unintentional turn on.

"Gabriella?"

Her gaze snapped back to his and Troy took a step back upon seeing the turmoil that her anger had masked. She opened her mouth and the last question he'd ever expected to hear fell from her lips.

"Do you find me attractive, Troy? Do you... _want_ me?"

Staring at her, he wondered how he could answer it without digging himself into a hole. If he said yes while she looked so furious, she'd likely tear his head off for being a chauvinistic pig who saw nothing beyond the surface; if he said no, she'd likely rail at him. If he drew on their recent past for proof, especially so publically, she might never talk to him again. Staying silent was no better as his silence was taken for denial and she continued before he responded.

"I see you don't - and why would you? I'm just-"

"Who-" he demanded crossly, cutting her off, "put such a ridiculous notion in your head?"

"Wanting to have you want me is _not_ ridiculous!"

The statement was so completely un-Gabriella like it caught him as off guard as her first question - but gave him a hint to what this was all about. Taking a step towards her, Troy finally noted the tears glittering in her angry gaze and realized she wasn't angry - she was upset; and it wasn't with him. "I never said it was."

"You just said-"

"I wanted to know who made you think differently. You're the most intelligent and desirable woman I know. The only woman I want to spend my time with and the_ only_ focus of my waking moments - if that isn't wanting you, I don't know what is."

"Really?"

Her whispered need for reassurance brought him forward that last couple of steps to wrap her tightly in his arms. "Really. What brought this on?"

"It's stupid."

"If it's caused this kind of doubt, I think it's important - not stupid."

"You'll laugh."

"Never. I can see this is bothering you; I'd never laugh at something like that."

Gabriella sighed miserably, clinging to him tightly as she kept her head ducked to his chest, unable to meet his gaze. "Liz and El."

Troy tensed. "What'd they say?"

Remaining silent, she squeezed him a touch harder, unwilling to reveal just how close the girls she studied with had come to shaking her faith in him. Elaine and Elizabeth didn't know him, didn't understand what they'd been through; didn't know their history. Troy was hers. Her white knight; her Prince charming - her fairytale. He put her first, took into account her opinion, just as she did his, and didn't make arbitrary decisions when it came to their relationship.

Minus Prom - but he'd only done it because she'd forced him to fight for her or lose her forever.

It had taken three days of worrying, of wondering if he'd come after her before she'd finally worked herself into an indignant rage and gone searching for him. Now, standing in the circle of his embrace, her worries seemed petty. He held her closely, tightly, but with care; she couldn't doubt him when she was with him. She _shouldn't_ doubt him when they were apart, but they were in uncharted territory and doubts were a natural part of any couple's growth. She just wished she didn't have so many.

"Gabriella?" His prompt was soft as he stroked her hair, concerned. She continued to remain silent, so Troy pushed a little. "Should I guess what they said to you?"

"You can try."

The strength of her hug hadn't eased and he ran soothing hands up and down her back. "Based on your first question, I'd have to say it something about the fact we've been together so long."

"Partly."

"And so platonically?" The color that reached her ear tips was answer enough. "We talked about this - why does it bother you?"

_Why indeed_. Unable to lift her head, she closed her eyes, squeezing them shut almost as tightly as she was squeezing him. Thankfully, he could take it and didn't seem inclined to release her. She didn't know why Elaine and Elizabeth had struck a nerve, but they had. "It doesn't."

"Then why are you clinging to me like a cheerleader after a championship game?"

Her head came up with his analogy, her eyes searching for and finding his, her brows drawn together as her hold on him eased. "That... is the _worst_ comparison you could make right now."

"It let me breathe," he teased gently. "And it got you to look at me, so I figure I'm batting about even."

"Why'd you kiss her?"

Troy blinked, the unexpected accusation catching him off guard. "Who?"

"The Albuquerque cheerleader."

"I didn't." He met her gaze head on, his blue eyes intense and open; letting her see his honesty. He hadn't a clue where she'd heard it, but he didn't bother asking with all the media coverage for the games. "_She_ jumped _me_ on my way out of the gym and caught me by surprise - which is what the reporter caught when I put my hands up to pull her away. Kamp and Chad had to haul her off me."

"Why'd she kiss you?"

"I don't know – she ran off before they could ask her," his lips twitched. "Maybe I'm just irresistible to cheerleaders."

"Troy, this is serious!"

"I know." Glancing back, Troy realized his buddies had all stopped to watch him comfort his girl - and drew her attention towards them. "What do you say we head back to my place where we don't have an audience? Something tells me the rest of this discussion isn't something we want everyone to hear."

Gabriella made no complaint - but neither did she relinquish her hold on one of his hands as he went to retrieve his gear. His team mates ribbed him, and he ignored it as he escorted Gabriella back to her bike. If he heard the laughing comments from the court as he took her bike and pushed it himself - throwing his bag on top of hers in the basket, he didn't show it. Let them think what they wanted; Gabriella needed him.

Her fingers were curled over his on one of her handlebars as they walked the distance back to his apartment. He put her bike in the bed of his truck before drawing her upstairs. He held both book bags in one hand, Gabriella's in the other with their fingers tangled together.

It had taken them eight months to share their first kiss, another ten before she'd taken the next step and opened both their eyes to how deep a kiss could get. Some of those kisses were so heated, so _passionate_, he had to stop her before he did something neither of them was really ready for; after that kiss, it had taken only a matter of short months - five months - before she'd again led the way into another phase. It wasn't that he didn't _want_ to touch her, but more that he didn't dare. Things seemed to suddenly be happening so fast and Troy just wanted to make certain they were ready for them; there was no rush in his mind. They had their whole futures ahead of them.

Once inside his apartment, their bags discarded by the door, Troy pulled her into his arms again. "I've missed you."

She laughed, a strangled sound that was muffled in the muscles of his chest. "I should have started with that."

"You have something important on your mind." Easing her away, Troy brushed his thumb down the side of her face with a smile - and then anchored his hands around her waist by folding his hands together at the base of her spine. "Though I think El and Liz should mind their own business."

"Like your team does?"

He shrugged, shifting a little in a slight rocking motion that she followed without thinking. "Other than what they see, it has nothing to do with them."

"How can you just ignore them? Don't you hear what they say about you?"

"What, the fact I'm completely at your beck and call?" He sounded more amused than insulted and shrugged. "We got the same comments through school - remember?"

"And it _really_ doesn't bother you?" Her eyes were nearly black with worry.

"Really." Their rocking motion had been accompanied by small steps - which had taken them to the couch - where Troy promptly sat on the arm and brought himself to eye level with her as he drew her between his knees. "I _like_ being at your beck and call."

"And the rumors already running around campus about how you prefer your team mates to the company of the cheerleaders?"

"It's true enough... though, not in the context people say it. Besides, our kiss at the Pacific game was seen by everyone - even Chad commented on it when I saw him. Though he thought you weren't you. People will believe what they want about me and I have no intention of being some jock who's life people can pry into."

"Even if it's already an open book?"

"If it's an open book, you don't have to pry," his logic was circular. "What's this really about?"

She sighed, leaning forward to tilt her forehead against his. "Are we fooling ourselves, Troy?"

"What do you mean?"

"This, between you and me... are we really more than friends or just two people who've become so reliant on one another we don't know how to move forward anymore?"

He pulled away to look at her. "After all we've been through, how can you even ask me that?"

She shrugged one shoulder, a faint, sad smile creasing her lips in response.

Troy cupped her face in his hands, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs. "You tried to tell me goodbye once and I came after you - and _not _because you're my friend, Gabriella. I could have let you go. You gave me the perfect out and I know you expected me to take it; but it's not that simple anymore. Not since you told me goodbye with an 'I love you' - and meant both."

"You weren't supposed to come after me."

"I know that." He brushed a tear from her cheek. "But I wasn't ready to give you up anymore then than I am now. I belong to you, just as you belong to me - and not because we sang together one New Years' eve, but because we've chosen it. I _love _being yours; I love knowing you're mine - and that's enough for me."

"It won't always be."

"Why don't you think so?"

"Because you're a man and men, so I've been informed, have needs - ones I'm not meeting."

He was going to throttle Elizabeth and Elaine the next time he saw them.

"Gabriella... nothing about our relationship has ever been normal. You were the shy genius girl and I was the popular jock; we weren't _supposed_ to happen - but we did. We weren't supposed to stay together - but we have. You never keep the girl after High School - and here we are. How fast or how slow we take our relationship is going to depend on a lot of things, but the most important one is how comfortable _we _are with it. I won't risk losing you simply because someone else thinks our relationship isn't the way they believe it should be. "

She acknowledged his logic with a slid nod, sliding her hands onto his shoulders so she could tease the long hair at the nape of his neck; he needed a haircut. So anchored she voiced the opinion her friends had. "They seem to think you'll lose interest in me soon enough because of what we don't do."

"If all I wanted was your body, I'd never have befriended you and we wouldn't be having this conversation because I'd be at U of A and you'd be little more than a blurry memory." He was blunt because it seemed to be what she needed at that moment. "If I would have acted on that want is debatable thanks to the manners mom ingrained into my brain. Do _you_ think we're neglecting a part of our relationship?"

"No."

"Neither do I. I'm not saying we won't ever take that step and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to the day we do, but the time has to be right. Not right for everyone else, right for _us_. We wanted to try and make this work and now that we have an idea of just how busy we're going to be from semester to semester, we can only make them better. The rest will follow if we let it."

"When did you get so wise?"

"I had to do something to offset that intelligence of yours - and sometimes you over think things." He shrugged self consciously. "Anything else you ladies talked about I should know about or are you going to make a habit of storming into my practices when you're supposed to be giving your final dissertations?"

"I finished early - and then they wouldn't get off my back about that awful picture, the feud between Stanford and UC Berkeley, boys as horrible people good for only one thing and your new nick name."

"Nick name?"

She nodded, amused by it now that she had the full story; she'd known something wasn't right about it. "Instead of 'Playmaker' or 'Hoops', you're being known as the 'Golden Kissing Bear'. Catchy, hmm?"

"Kissing Bear?" He arched his eyebrows. "I hope you're joking."

"The _Golden_ Kissing Bear," she teased. "Don't tell me your team mates haven't bugged you about it yet."

"They might have, but I've been a little distracted."

"By?"

"The fact my girl's been avoiding me. Now that I know why..."

"Intending to do something about it, Wildcat?"

"Hmm..." He pulled her closer, his gaze dropping to her lips as his hands splayed wide on her hips. "It would seem she needs to be reminded of just how sexy I find her."

"Sexy?"

"Definitely." He dropped a soft kiss on the edge of her mouth.

"Sexier than that cheerleader?"

The other corner of her lips was graced briefly by his. "Than the whole squad put together - and then some."

"I think such a lady would have problems with men."

"And don't you?" He pulled his gaze back to hers. "I refuse to believe you haven't caught someone's eye while you've been here."

"I've been more focused on my studies - and in trying to figure out how to get time alone with you."

"All you had to do is ask."


	14. Dinner With Mom

_Dinner with Mom - Beginning of December_

After having spent the night talking and setting a few things straight – among them the jaded, jealous natures of Elizabeth and Elaine and where their relationship was heading – Gabriella had helped him run his lines and he'd left her for rehearsals reluctantly. She'd stayed at his place to sleep, which was how he'd found her when he'd returned home.

Unable to resist, he'd settled silently on the edge of his bed – it was really _their_ bed since she slept more at his place than at home – and brushed the hair from her cheek. She'd sighed softly, tilting her head towards his touch – and Troy would have had to been made of stronger stuff to resist the temptation to kiss her awake.

So he hadn't.

Feeling her stir beneath him, he'd pulled back to find a sultry smile curving her lips as she stretched luxuriously with her half-lidded gaze on him. She'd pulled him back to her for a proper kiss - to express her approval of his methods she'd explained when she'd finally let him up.

That had been moments before she'd extended the invitation to join her and her mother for dinner since he hadn't been by in some time and her mother was starting to wonder why. Troy, unwilling to alienate Ms. Montez, capitulated without a fight. It was why they now found themselves walking her bike back to her mother's house, Gabriella's hand firmly in one of his.

"Why," Troy wondered absently as he caressed the back of Gabriella's fingers, "do I feel like I'm heading straight into my own execution?"

Laughing, she arched her eyebrows at him. "Did you do something wrong?"

"I'm just a little worried she saw that picture like you did." His admission was half apology. "She might have the wrong idea."

"Mom's been immersed in her work, I doubt she's been following the news reels for the basketball team." Gabriella's attempt to assure him fell short. "But even if she did, you didn't do anything wrong."

"I should have been able to stop her."

"If you'd seen her coming? I've seen the 'You tube' video, Troy; she blindsided you."

"I know I shouldn't ask, but... you didn't really think I would cheat on you when you saw that, did you?"

"Never." Her response was instantaneous and filled with conviction. "Despite the spiel El and Liz tried to feed me, I know you wouldn't."

He exhaled a long breath. "You have _no_ idea how much your trust means to me."

"Have you been worrying about that since I asked?"

"Nah, just since I left you crawling back into my bed this morning. The suggestion for the song went over well, in case you're wondering."

"We're dealing with a Diva who gets to share your spotlight; of _course_ it went over well." She sounded amused. "Did you have fun at practice?"

"Fun enough I guess. Wish you'd been there though."

"Come on," she nudged him with her hip. "You wouldn't have given up playing a couple of games with the Bears for doing this production if you didn't enjoy it."

"Parts of it are great," he admitted. "But Angelique's a real pain. Nothing is ever up to her standards. The script, the songs, the lighting – everything is wrong. It either makes her sound too vapid – her words not mine – too false or look too fat."

"I take it she's built like a Supermodel?"

"Do Diva's come in any other packages?" Troy's expression was pained. "There will be talent scouts at this performance and we're _all_ hoping she gets scooped up by an agency. Once she's gone, we can actually focus on something that's more for everyone than just her."

"You guys are lucky to be participating in a third year project," Gabriella pointed out as they turned onto her block. "Your Prof must really think you and the other two freshmen are pretty good."

"Something like that. I'm worried about the script writer though; she reminds me a lot of Kelsi back when you first met her – and doesn't have a friend like you to help her along."

"No, she's got someone even better."

"Oh?"

Lifting one hand, she poked him in the chest. "Yeah, you."

"I avoid Angelique whenever possible; I don't see how I'm any help."

"You wouldn't." Shaking her head, Gabriella let the topic pass – once opening night was over and done with Troy would, hopefully, see what she was talking about. "How'd you do on your final Sociology project?"

"I think I did okay."

"Just okay?"

His smile turned teasing. "My GPA may not be near perfect like yours, but I think it'll be respectable. I'll know once I get my marks back. Even if it's not as good as I think, I'm proud of it and I was happy with what I turned in."

"Then you'll do better than 'okay'." Gabriella informed him tartly – then softened it with a smile. "I can't believe the first semester is over and all that's left are finals."

"Me either. It feels like one big blur."

"All of it?"

He winked at her. "Well, not _all_ of it. There have been some pretty memorable moments."

"I should hope so! What're your plans for the Spring Semester – basketball and theatre again?"

"And Sociology – after doing the first semester, I find I'm a little hooked."

"Fascinating stuff, huh?"

"Only because I tie it all back to high school," he admitted. "I did my final paper about you, actually."

"Me?" Gabriella stopped on the sidewalk outside the house she shared with her mother. "Troy..."

"I know, I should have asked, but the impact you had in High School was too tempting of a topic to resist. Once I talked to my Prof about rogue elements being introduced into already established social systems, he couldn't wait to see what I had to say."

"Then it was about our class."

"More or less, but you were the rogue element."

"The right one?"

"Undoubtedly." He tugged her forward towards the door. "How about you - more of the same for the Spring semester?"

"That's the plan, unless mom moves away – then I might have to drop one of my majors and get a part time job to pay for everything."

"There you are!" Ms. Montez appeared in the doorway as they neared, effectively ending their conversation for the moment. "I was starting to wonder if I would be eating alone tonight. Hello Troy."

"Hello, Ms. Montez," he offered a smile.

"Will you be joining us for dinner?"

Troy glanced at Gabriella – who answered for him. "I invited him, mom. I hope that's okay."

Ms. Montez held up Gabriella's cell phone, extending it to her. "Next time, call me. Dinner's almost ready so you two have some time before we eat."

By unspoken agreement, they followed Ms. Montez into the house and settled at the kitchen table as she checked on the lasagna that was cooking in the over. Troy maintained his hold on Gabriella's hand – and she didn't try to retrieve it – playing absently with her fingers. "How've you been, Ms. Montez?"

"Busy," came the muffled reply as she crouched low out of site to look into the oven. "This is the first night I've had off for a couple of weeks now."

"Sounds like quite the deal you're working on."

"The commission bonus makes it worth it. Besides," Ms. Montez straightened with the lasagna pan in hand, turning to place it on the rack she'd prepared on the island counter top. Her words were _almost_ an accusation, though both could hear the resignation in her tone. "It's not like Gabriella is ever home anymore."

"Mom..."

"I don't expect you to be home all the time, Gabi, it'd just be nice to see you every now and again – not the text on my phone which says you're staying at Troy's again."

So chastised, Gabriella flushed. "I haven't been at Troy's lately; I've been with Elizabeth and Elaine at the dorm working on our final project. I was only at Troy's last night."

"Maybe I should go."

"No," Ms. Montez held up one hand, the oven mitt obscuring the shape. "No, you need to be here for this Troy. I don't blame either of you for spending time together; I _do_ remember what it was to be young and in love."

Both young adults blushed.

"Mom, I don't think-"

"It's not what you-"

Laughing, Ms. Montez shucked the gloves and kicked the oven closed with her heel, starling them both into silence. "Neither of you have any idea what I think the relationship is between the two of you. Which is one reason I'm glad you're here tonight, Troy."

Surprise made Troy and Gabriella look at one another and confusion had them looking back at Gabriella's mother. "One reason?"

"One." She confirmed, pulling another plate and cutlery from the drawer as she collected a plastic knife to cut the lasagna. "The other might affect the relationship you have with Gabriella."

Gabriella moved to collect the plates as her mother served up three portions. "What are you talking about, mom?"

"I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I might have to move again."

"Again." Gabriella took two plates to the table, giving the larger portion to a silent Troy. "We practically just moved here, why can't your company keep you nearby?

"This deal is important and they need someone on site to negotiate. When it's finished, I'll have enough seniority to pick and choose the jobs I want and where."

Sighing, Gabriella resumed her seat next to Troy – who promptly pressed his leg against hers in a show of silent support. "For how long?"

"Ten to fourteen months; they're not anticipating an easy negotiation."

Gabriella's shoulders sagged. Ten to fourteen months. Three semesters. It would extend her time in College exponentially if she had to cut back on her class hours to get a job. "When?"

"I have to be there by January fifth."

That was something; at least her mom would be around for Christmas and New Years. "You've already accepted, haven't you?"

"What they're offering isn't something I can let pass when a promotion is a sure thing once this deal is finalized."

"I didn't say you should, mom," Gabriella replied quietly, picking at her lasagna. "I was just kind of looking forward to having you here."

Ms. Montez settled into a chair across from the young couple. "Your college fund is in your name, Gabriella and I'll continue to add to it while I'm away so you can cover some of your living expenses, but I will have to sell the house. It means you'll need to make alternate arrangements."

"Where are you going this time?"

"Seattle."

"Ah. Somewhere else we've never been." Gabriella pushed her plate away and sat back in her chair. "Dorm registrations for the Spring Semester were due two weeks ago, mom; it's not like I can just move in on campus."

"What about those girls you study with?"

"No way." The vehement denial was accompanied with a shake of her head as color flooded her cheeks. "Not happening. I'll study with them because they're classmates, but I won't live with them."

"You can live with me."

Ms. Montez and Gabriella turned the gazes to Troy. "I couldn't-"

"You don't possibly have the room, Troy."

He shrugged. "She's at my place most of the time anyway, so much so that I had put her on as a second occupant lest my super get suspicious. She already has a key; you said it yourself, she's practically living there already, so why not?"

"I couldn't expect you to sacrifice your space for her, Troy."

He found Gabriella's hand and squeezed. "I _like_ having her around, Ms. Montez. Sacrifice nothing; she'd be doing me a favor."

"A favor?" Gabriella sounded skeptical. "What kind of a favor?"

"If you cover half of the rent, I'll cover the rest and bills and it'll make things easier for both of us and I can put some money away until Summer when I've got to work full time again. This way, I won't need to take two jobs to save for school since I'll already have something of a nest egg. Besides, it's close by and you can still bike to school – it just means you'll be claiming my closet space."

Ms. Montez was suspiciously silent about his explanation as she took a bite of her lasagna and regarded him thoughtfully. Troy shifted under that look, knowing she was watching him, but his attention was mostly focused on Gabriella.

"I... I couldn't ask you to do that Troy."

"Why not?" Lifting his hand, hers still entwined with his, he rubbed his thumb against the backs of her fingers. "I'm offering; you're not imposing and it makes sense both commute-wise and financially. You're at my place all the time anyway, what's the problem?"

Color blossomed in her cheeks as she darted a look towards her suspiciously silent mother – who seemed to be watching her boyfriend with an alarming amount of intensity. "It would be awkward, wouldn't it?"

"What do you mean?"

The heat in her cheeks became more pronounced, brown eyes begging him to drop it. "It's a small apartment, we'd be tripping over each other all the time and I wouldn't have anywhere to put my bed-"

"So take my room and I'll sleep on the couch." He was so damn _casual_ about the solution, as if he'd been thinking about it for some time. And while he had, he doubted he would _stay_ on the couch. They already spent a good deal of their time sleeping together - platonically - and he doubted that would change if she moved in with him. "I don't have a lot of stuff, but it would mean I do laundry more than once a week."

"Troy."

He stiffened. "Yes, Ms. Montez?"

"This isn't a short term solution you're proposing. Gabriella needs to study and concentrate on her school work, if she doesn't keep her grade average up it could cost her a lot."

"I know; which is why it wouldn't drop."

"How can you be so certain?"

"Other than the time she spends with her study group, most of her projects are either written on my laptop, or by hand while I work on mine. There's a corner in the living room where we can put her desk and hook up her desktop. Like I said, I don't have a lot, so she can bring what she needs." Turning, his gaze came back to Gabriella. "Unless, of course, you don't _want_ to live with me – I can always help you apartment hunt."

"No no, it's not that..."

"Then what?"

"I..." Gabriella slanted a look at her mother and abruptly rose to her feet, dragging Troy with her. "We'll be right back."

"Take your time," Ms. Montez's amusement was obvious as she pulled a nearby stack of paperwork in front of her and began to read.

Gabriella dragged Troy through the house and up to her bedroom, pushing him inside and closing the door behind her. "Are you _crazy_?"

"What?"

"I can't live with you, Troy, my mother would think I'd lost it!"

"I didn't hear her objecting."

"That's because she doesn't know... she... we can't do this."

Shoving his hands in his pockets, he looked at her seriously. "Why not?

"If we're in close quarters, how long do you honestly think we're going to be able to... I mean…" she blushed hotly. "Things will change if I live with you, Troy."

"No they won't. It'll be just like... just like we're an old married couple," he looked charmed by the idea. "We can leave for school at the same time, you'll be home before me and can get a head start on your homework, and then we can spend some time together when I get home – unless I'm working. If I'm working, I'll be home after you're in bed."

"You can't sleep on the couch."

He arched his eyebrows in surprise. "Why not? It solves our bunking problem – unless you _want_ to try and fit your twin bed next to mine."

She giggled. "It would fit."

"And block the closet."

"We'd have to move your dresser."

"And we'd have no room for yours." Troy smiled faintly. "You've been sleeping in my bed for months – why the cold feet now?"

"That was days at a time, not weeks. What happens if you start... I mean... the last time you dreamed..."

"When you didn't stop me?"

She nodded, and he stepped close, pulling out one hand to touch her – but instead braced it on the door above her shoulder beside her head. "Were you ready for that step, Gabriella?"

"You know I was," staring into those intensely serious blue eyes, she wouldn't have been able to lie to him if she wanted to. "It's not that step I'm worried about; it's the ones that come after it. I'm scared, Troy."

"Me too." He let out a shaky breath. "But what other options do you have? I'm not saying you have to live with me, but I loathe the thought of you living with Elizabeth and Elaine, the dorms are probably full and if you want to have the chance to complete your dual majors on time, you can't get a job – not if we want to have any time together at all."

"I know it makes the most sense, I just don't know..."

"So let's use it as the short term solution your mom doesn't think of it as. We'll take it for a test run – a couple of weeks, maybe a month and you can put your name on a waiting list for the dorms right away – and then if things don't work out, you have another low income option that won't cut into your school time."

Move in with Troy.

It was something she'd once dreamed about back in High School – living with him, and all of a sudden it was real and the thought was just a little daunting. He finally touched her, brushing his finger tips loving down the curve of her face – his favorite gesture and one that never failed to melt her heart. "I'd never do anything you're not ready for."

"But _I_ might do something _you're_ not ready for and I wouldn't want you thinking less of me for it."

Troy arched his eyebrows, intrigued by her candid comment, and examined her high colored cheekbones, bending down to brush a kiss over one and then the other. "I'm yours to command, Gabriella; I always have been and I always will be. There is nothing you could do or say to me to make me think less of you."

"You're sure about this, then?"

"Having you move in with me? Absolutely." He pulled back, stepping away so she had the freedom to move away from the door. "I'll just have to make some space and clean up before you do."

"What if you don't like living with me."

"I think it's more _you_ won't like living with _me_." He admitted with a sheepish smile. "Think of it as a good trial run for when we're out of college?"

"Why that long?"

Winking at her, he pulled the door open and exited into the hallway. "You're the one who said you always wanted to wait until your schooling was finished to get married."

Gaping, she stood staring after him and then - suddenly - stamped her foot. "If that was a proposal _Bolton_, it was lousy!"

"Proposal?" Troy paused at the top of the stairs. "You should know me better than that by now. Call it a notice of intent, _Montez_ and consider yourself forewarned."

Gabriella ran after him down the stairs, but was prevented from asking further about his cryptic remark with her mother once again in the room. Her mother kept the discussion running along the lines of their schooling and living arrangements. She wasn't a huge fan of Gabriella living with Troy come the New Year, but she could and did acknowledge the logic of it. She also applauded their forethought in making alternative arrangements in the event they _couldn't_ live together.

It wasn't until later, when Gabriella was saying good night to Troy on her own that she was able to ask him about his remark – and the blasted man only smiled that sexy half smile and kissed her cheek before walking away humming. Still, the implication of what he'd said fluttered somewhere in the vicinity of her heart. It implied that Troy wanted her to be his wife; that he would someday propose. It was the thought that followed her through the next few days of finals, into her dreams and every night when she would talk to him. The image of Troy, on bended knee with that single solitaire refused to leave her brain – and it left her elated and terrified all at the same time.

It also took her mind off the ever building tension between she and her Wildcat, her mom's upcoming move and theirs, which - unbeknownst to her - had been Troy's intention all along.


	15. Opening Night: Part 1

**Author's Note:** A quick thank you to **wishinonastar27 **and **An Origami Fish** for pointing out inconsistencies and some of the more blatant errors when it comes to both college life and the schools themselves. I went through and re-read the class schedules at Stanford and UC Berkeley as a result – in particularly the law aspects at Stanford as I hadn't paid them enough attention and it's caused a conflict with a couple of things; I _hope_ those are fixed from this point on.

After checking back, I found that the Law aspects at Stanford for their Quarters actually follow quite closely the semester schedules at UC Berkeley when it comes to schedules and finals etc. The times are close enough that finals for Gabriella would in fact coincide pretty close with Troy's; which means I'm tweaking them here to show that, at the moment, they're both at that point.

My apologies to anyone who attends the UC Berkeley Theater programs for this post – one part of 3 – as I'm quite certain I butchered their program. However, it's deliberate *wince* and moves the plot along.

Oh - and once again, "Say When" belongs to Lonestar; I apologize for deliberately butchering it.

--

_Opening Night - Early December_

_Part 1_

The theatre was decently filled the first night Troy's theatre group put on the production they'd been rehearsing and planning since the beginning of the semester. Angelique's warm tones filled the theatre, reaching to the very far corners without effort thanks to the hidden sound system. Even without it, Troy doubted anyone would have had trouble hearing her.

Inhaling, he stretched his arms above his head as he waited for his cue. There were two acts of five left and he'd already done a very minor chorale round with the rest of the cast as the opening number as well as his initial scene with Angelique where she deliberately spurned him, and then a minor monologue profession his intention to never give up on her.

Musical theatre, after trying various aspects with his teacher, was where he was most comfortable and seemed to be the one where he had the most impact. His Prof had told him he had 'presence' and 'charisma' that naturally made people want to listen to him. Others attributed this to leadership skills, but because Troy led by following his instincts, it had turned him into a surprisingly strong voice within his class. A voice that - over the course of the last couple of weeks as they'd scrambled to complete preparations for this show - had also been one of reason.

Off the court, Troy had established himself as a hard but fair task master - and Gabriella was the silent partner who'd given him the strength to do it.

Resisting the urge to peak out, he knew what he'd see. A sea of people eclipsed by the young woman in the strapless red sheath and heels with her hair falling lightly about bare shoulders as she watched the stage intently. He'd caught sight of _her_ the moment he'd stepped on stage - and she'd stunned him for a half second into forgetting the opening line of the song. Fortunately, the moment the music started, rehearsals had paid off and he'd opened his mouth to sing without thinking about it, his gaze glued to her. He'd known she was coming - he'd bought her ticket himself - he just hadn't expected her to dress so... elegantly.

Gabriella did _not _look seventeen - almost eighteen - tonight.

He turned his thoughts away from her reluctantly, and instead hummed the tune he was about to sing before these people, wondering how she'd ever convinced him that he could sing it. Even as he wondered, he knew. She'd learned it herself - and turned it into a duet. That inspiration had turned the tune from country for the show, to something else. The words had been changed slightly to accommodate the dual piece, but as soon as Angelique - the Diva playing the role of his unrequited love - had discovered he didn't _have_ to have a solo piece, she'd pitched it to the Prof as if it had been her idea.

Someone, Troy didn't know who, had enlightened the Prof to the true source of the duet and unbeknownst to Angelique, that small tidbit along with this performance would solidify his mark for the semester. Despite the problems thus far in his school career, Troy was finding the challenge to be very rewarding when he persevered.

The melody began to play as Angelique took center stage. As she said the first few lines before she would launch into song, Troy took another deep breath and let it out, taking his place at stage right. He couldn't see Gabriella from here - but the moment he stepped beyond the curtains she'd be within view.

Music swelled and Angelique launched into a poignant melodic line. "My heart's been broken; I don't want to open up to you."

Stepping onto the stage, Troy approached her from behind as the script called for, his voice raising to answer hers. "I know it's true. But all that you're needing, is someone to believe in you."

Staying where she was at center stage, Troy played the lovelorn he was supposed to be, catching Gabriella's proud smile from the corner of his eye as he continued. "And when you are no longer afraid; darlin' I'll be just one word away."

Angelique turned then, her expression pained. "Say when..."

"I'll be there by your side."

"For a day? For a year?"

He imagined Gabriella before him as sang, extending one hand in supplication - a hand she wouldn't take. "For the rest of my life; I know you're not ready, but someday your heart's going to mend. I'll give you love without end..."

Her voice blended to his for the soft completion of the refrain. "Say when."

Angelique took several steps away as she moved to her next position for the upcoming stanza. Troy, as per practice, stayed where he was, letting the gap between them widen. The back and forth of the song as they sang seemed to mesmerize the audience. As they joined hands for the final repetition of the refrain and their voices died away, Troy wrapped Angelique in his arms and closed his eyes.

His line fell from his lips easily. It was supposed to be whispered between them and in delivering it he gave the impression of it, yet let everyone hear it. "Say when, Vi."

Angelique's arms remained at her side. Slowly, his eyes opened to look at her. Her eyes gleamed - she was an actress after all - with tears as she shook her head and stepped out of his embrace. "I can't - I won't. Leave me alone!"

The force she used to say those words to him was lacking, and the audience could almost be heard to hold their collective breaths.

Troy stepped towards her, taking her hand and preventing her flight. Lifting it ever so slowly, he kissed the back of it as she lifted her gaze to his. He waited until their eyes locked, blue on blue, before saying his line with conviction. "You will. And someday soon, you will see that everything you claim to want is standing here before you - and you'll say when."

It was the end of the act and the curtain fell with them in that pose. Troy dropped her hand as soon as the fabric hit the polished floor. The look Angelique shot him was contemptuous as she turned on her heel and left stage left. There was a moment of quiet and then applause; roaring applause and Troy stepped towards the curtain as the stage crew quickly removed the settings.

"Troy!"

Someone hissed his name and Troy quickly darted off stage, the opposite way from Angelique. His role was just about finished except for the final act where he would watch as Vi killed herself and then become 'prostrate with grief'. It was a scene with very little speaking, but much emotion to get the audience to feel the effects of it.

The rest of the play passed quickly for Troy as he applauded the performances of the two brothers arguing over who would win Vi's hand, a comical scene that had the audience laughing; he imagined he could hear Gabriella's delighted laugh over the others. The scene finished with the brothers agreeing that the older would have Vi and, should something happen to him, the younger would step in.

It wasn't until the final curtain dropped, and everyone stepped forward for their bows, that Troy looked directly at Gabriella once more. She was on her feet in those crimson pumps, tissues in one hand as she applauded enthusiastically with the rest of the crowd; the first showing was a hit.

Individually, the star players took their bows and when Angelique stepped forward, the roar of the crowd went up a notch. The Diva preened, accepting it as her due, and blew kisses to those she knew. Troy tuned it out, his gaze solely for Gabriella and he winked at her, drawing an impish grin, before the performers left the stage.

Backstage, the crew let out an enthusiastic shout and Peggy, the script writer, launched herself at Troy for an enthusiastic hug. "Oh my gosh, that worked so well! That duet; you had the audience in tears, did you see? Did you see?"

Laughing, Troy put her back on her feet. "I saw. It's a great adaptation, Peggy; and works like a charm."

"Your suggestion, Troy; I _never_ would have thought to turn that into a duet."

"Of course you wouldn't," Angelique broke in coolly, placing her hand on Troy's arm deliberately. "You haven't that kind of imagination."

Troy jerked his arm away as Peggy's smile died. "Would it kill you to be a little enthusiastic about this? That's a standing ovation we just received."

"I want to rehearse that final scene once more and change a couple of things." Angelique informed him, her lips dripping distain. "Be available tomorrow morning for rehearsals to practice the changes."

Troy crossed his arms over his chest. "No."

"_Excuse_ me?"

"You're not the one writing the script; Peggy is. If you didn't like it, you should have said something when it was first handed out."

"You're a nobody, Troy. A basketball player who can carry a tune but will never be able to carry a show by himself." Angelique informed him haughtily. "We'll see what the _Professor_ says about this."

Troy met the Professor's gaze over her shoulder and nodded to him, arching his eyebrows. "He's right there."

Angelique whirled and stormed away - and Peggy exhaled mightily. "How do you do it?"

"What?"

"Talk to her like that? Nobody else dares."

"I've had a lot of practice with Divas," Troy admitted. "And she's no worse than Sharpay."

"Sharpay?"

"She was the co-head of the drama program at my High School - it's a long story."

"Hey Troy!"

He turned towards the voice. "Yeah?"

"You've got a visitor."

Gabriella.

He took his leave of Peggy with a grin, telling her one last time how much fun he'd had on stage, before darting down the hallway towards where visitors were screened before coming to see the actors. Men were clearly visible, bouquets of flowers being handed to various security guards specifically for Angelique. Amid the confusion, his wide smile got wider as Gabriella appeared in view, speaking with one of the guards.

"Gabriella!"

The guard turned at the same time she did, and the smile that crossed her beautiful features made his heart skip a beat. "Hey Wildcat; you were great up there!"

"You know this young lady, Bolton?" Troy nodded, and extended his hand to her - which Gabriella promptly took. The guard, however, wasn't finished. "You might want to warn her about wearing tree colors on game night next time."

"I'll do that."

Pulling Gabriella away, he ducked behind one of the costume racks into a corner and pulled her into his arms. His lips found hers in the semi-darkness and her fingers delved into his hair as she stood on tip toe to kiss him back. Troy's hands slid restlessly across the fabric of her dress - touching the skin of her back as he coaxed her into a deeper kiss and caught a soft moan in his mouth.

Reluctantly, the pressing need to breath caused them to separate and they stared at each other in heated silence. People passed by the rack on the other side, but paid them no mind; they were almost completely obscured by the hanging clothes. Troy's fingers traced the edge of the gown where it met the skin of her back, hitching on the zipper before shifting deliberately - reluctantly - away; he felt like a starving man just handed a feast.

Gabriella giggled softly, breaking the tension as she settled back on her heels. "If that's the welcome I get when I come to see you on stage, I'll never miss an opening night."

Troy smile sheepishly. "I blame it on that piece of fabric you call a dress - it's all I've been thinking about since I saw you in it."

"You'd never know it by the performance you gave."

"My lines went clear out of my head the second I saw you." He admitted, reluctantly releasing her to arm's length. "I had to focus on Angelique just to remember."

"Is that why your performance was so spirited?" She teased. "I could swear you looked at me at least once."

"I was always looking at you, even if I couldn't see you. I just had to picture you in something else or risk giving Angelique the wrong idea."

Laughing, Gabriella pulled him back into the main hallway and laced her hand together with his. "I take it you like it?"

"Very much," he ran the back of his index finger over her arm from elbow to shoulder. "You look gorgeous."

"We had to match," her smile faded a little. "Though I probably should have worn something other than red - I forgot it was game night."

"Game night or not, we're not in the stands here. Ignore Smith - _I_ think it suits you." Leading the way, he headed for where the room the male performers had been allocated dressing rooms. "I need to change - are you okay to wait here?"

"I've been backstage a time or two before," she reminded him, squeezing his fingers. "I think I can manage until you return."

"You sure? You're wearing Tree colors in Bear country."

Standing on tip toe, she pressed a kiss to his cheek and spoke softly. "At least I didn't wear the anti-Cal's shirt Liz bought me. It's quite sharp."

Rolling his eyes, Troy disappeared into the change room.

"Red; daring of you."

Gabriella turned, finding herself face to face a young woman she didn't recognize. "I'm sorry?"

"Are you supposed to be backstage?"

"I'm waiting for Troy Bolton; he's just gone to change."

The other girl was dressed as a stage hand and partially covered in dust - and got a good kick out of Gabriella's statement. "Waiting for Troy? Mister 'I wouldn't touch a girl with a ten foot pole' Bolton? Ha ha! That's a good one!"

Arching her eyebrows, Gabriella took an instant dislike to the other girl as she crossed her arms over her chest. While it was proof Troy saw no one but her, it was the slight against him she could let pass. "You know him so well do you?"

"Everyone knows he's turned down the dancers repeatedly after the games, never comes to after parties and he even turned Angelique down flat when she suggested he kiss her in the production."

"I don't think she's his type," Gabriella informed the other girl dryly. "And I'd watch what rumors you spread about him."

The girl took a good look at Gabriella and shook her head sadly, making Gabriella bristle. "You're wasting your time if you're trying to catch his attention; everyone knows he doesn't have anything romantically to do with us."

"And just who's us?"

"Anyone with breasts."

Troy reappeared at that moment - and frowned as he took in Gabriella's defensive posture. He slid his hand along her waist across the smooth fabric of her dress, not sparing the other girl a glance. "Something the matter?"

Gabriella's gaze never let the other woman - who was now staring at them speechless. Arching one eyebrow, as if to ask what the other girl was thinking even _implying_ Troy wouldn't be into her, she stepped closer to him and tilted her head, never breaking eye contact with the wide-eyed stage hand. "No, nothing. What do you say we get out of here and go some place more... _private_?"

He tensed slightly at her insinuation, glancing from Gabriella to the other girl and then back. Gabriella finally met his gaze and he saw protectiveness shining in those brown depths, lined with mild amusement. Something had happened and he'd walked right into the middle of it without knowing his lines. Gabriella's hand slid up his chest in a deliberate caress, her fingers tracing the contours under his shirt. "Are you game, Wildcat?"

"You're so full of sh-"

Gabriella turned a burning look to the other woman, cutting off whatever she'd been about to say. "Do you _mind_?"

A part of Troy was getting a kick out of watching her wage silent war - apparently about him - and the other part was taken aback. Gabriella was not a confrontational person by nature.

"Just because he lets you touch and hang off of him doesn't prove-"

The scathing gauntlet hadn't been completely thrown down before Gabriella's eyes flashed and she drew herself up.

Troy got only that moment's warning before he found himself locked in one of the most heated and passionate kisses Gabriella had _ever_ initiated. His arms went around her purely on instinct as he pulled her close, his hands splaying wide on her back. Her lips were demanding, more demanding than they'd ever been before, and he yielded to her willingly. They demanded surrender and he didn't fight it, instead went with it. The temptress in his arms was a side of her that only ever came out to play when they were alone - and something the other girl had said had set her off.

Gabriella was branding _him_ as _hers_ just as surely as he'd done at the basketball game a month ago.

Gasps were lost somewhere in the background noise of the buzzing in his head. The sudden loss of her mouth as she tore herself away was physically painfully to the point he bit back an agonized groan. She remained pressed tightly against him, and he came back to his senses slowly. Her chest heaved against his, her eyes bright spots of glittering intensity and emotion. The fingers in his hair - she had a thing for it and he hadn't felt them move - relaxed a little. Unable to help himself, he leaned back in for a soft, almost chaste kiss on her lips.

She returned it with a smile and arched her eyebrows. "Any more questions?"

He stared to shake his head when he heard an aggravated growl, and brought it up in time to see they'd gathered a crowd. There were varying degrees of reaction around them, from amused acceptance, blatant shock and some, like Angelique, who looked positively furious. He shrugged and smiled, dismissing the group from his mind with barely a thought. "None on my end. Let's get out of here; this place is too crowded."

A slow smile spread across Gabriella's lips at his choice of words, their eyes locking once more - the memory of what had happened the last time they'd encountered such a heated moment shimmering unspoken between them - and the possibility of more once again infusing the night with limitless options. Something would happen again tonight; just _what _was all that remained to be seen.

"My thoughts _exactly_."


	16. Opening Night: Part 2

**Author's Note: **I have _never_ eaten at the restaurant listed – I pulled everything from their web site. Anyone who's watched "Iron Chef" has a pretty good idea where I pulled my reactions for Troy and Gabriella when it comes to tasting a talented Chef's cuisine.

So, yeah, the restaurant isn't mine, but it _is_ real, as are the menu items and rough prices – if you'd like to know more about the menu, copy and paste the name to your Google bar, you'll find their web page.

----------

_Opening Night - Early December_

_Part 2_

Troy relinquished Gabriella's hand only to remove his jacket - he was overly warm thanks to that kiss - and promptly reclaimed it as he used the other hand to sling it over his shoulder. Once free of the auditorium where they'd preformed and headed towards his truck, her fingers tightened on his. "So... where are we going?"

"I didn't have any particular destination in mind. Rumor has it my incredibly talented and breathtaking girlfriend made plans for tonight - so I didn't."

"Rumor hmm?" Her eyes sparkled from his compliments. "You never should trust rumors."

"If they're not true does that mean we have a free night to be spontaneous?"

"Hardly," her tease was affectionate. "We'll have to hurry if we're going to make our reservations for Gary Danko's."

"Gary Danko's?" Troy whistled. "How'd you manage to get reservations _there_?"

"It's called planning ahead - something I'm told I'm quite good at."

"The best. Chad's always said you were ever two steps ahead of us." Troy unlocked his truck and helped her into the passenger side - the expanse of bare leg she was showing made his mouth go dry. Closing the door, he went around to the driver's side and climbed in. "So how'd your final go?"

"Three down," she told him with a smile and waggled her finger. "No more school talk tonight."

"Is that an order?"

"Do I have to make it one?"

"Maybe you should - I love it when you get bossy," he started the car, checking his blind spots before pulling carefully out of the parking space and driving through the lot. "So what's the occasion we're celebrating at Gary Danko's?"

"You need to ask?"

One look at her and he smiled sheepishly. "Guess not. You didn't have to do something so expensive."

"I wanted to." Her reply was honest as she reached across to reclaim his hand. "It's been a while since we've been out on an actual date and we're only going to get busier from here on out, so... I thought you'd like it. Head towards San Francisco."

He pulled out onto the main drag that would take them towards the city, rolling the window down as he did. "I _do_ like it," he assured her at length. "Don't get me wrong, I just... with your mom moving and everything it's a little extravagant, don't you think?"

"We're going to be pinching pennies come January, so why not splurge now?"

Troy couldn't argue with her logic.

----------

Dinner was an elegant affair at one of the classiest five star restaurants they'd ever been to - which didn't mean a lot, but they were sufficiently impressed to consider doing it again. While they couldn't order wine and toasted their various successes with water, the intimate dinner for two in an out of the way booth only added to the mood of possibility and by the time desert arrived, Troy was feeding her pieces of his meal from his fork while she offered him bites of hers.

"Mmm... _So _good"

Gabriella half closed her eyes on the mouthful of sinfully delicious Lemon Soufflé she'd accepted from Troy's spoon and he chuckled softly. "You've been saying that about everything tonight."

"Should I find another word?" Dipping her spoon into her roaster pears and ice cream she held it out to him. "Not that you're any better."

Troy's lips closed about the tip of her spoon and their eyes locked as she slowly withdrew the utensil from between his lips. He chewed slowly, twice, his gaze never leaving hers. "Delicious."

"Just delicious?" Her breath hitched as the tip of his tongue snaked out to lick a bit of ice cream of his top lip.

"Would divine work better?" He was still leaning across the table towards her, his blue eyes reflecting the candle light, the open neck of his dress shirt giving her a tantalizing view of 'v' indent of his collar bone. His hands were wrapped around his elbows, his class ring glittering on his finger. Troy's gaze was intense, heated, and his voice turned husky with his next whispered words - words just for her. "Or perhaps exquisite? Just like the lady sharing my table?"

Words failed her as her throat went dry, a shiver racing through her system and goose bumps rose on her arms. Her gaze never leaving his, she deliberately dipped her spoon into her desert and tried a bite of it herself. Lifting the spoon slowly, she wrapped her lips around the small morsel with deliberate intent, and then slowly - as she'd done with him - pulled the spoon away. Troy's blue eyes darkened to deep, stormy cobalt - the same color she was starting to affiliate with the burn in the pit of her stomach - _desire_.

It was a strange thing to have a name for it.

The ice cream had left an smear on her upper lip as she swallowed, and Troy's hand reached out. His index finger caught her under the chin and pulled forward, giving her the chance to resist. She didn't - and his mouth hovered over hers for the barest of seconds before the tip of tongue snaked out a second time to collect the richness offered, this time from her lips. She gasped, and he made a thorough job of ensuring her lip was ice cream free before pulling back with a heart melting smile.

"_Now_ it's exquisite."

Her foot brushed his under the table as she sat back and placed her spoon on the table with shaky fingers, almost dropping it. The burn low in her belly was a coiled heat of nerves and tension that was begging for release - any kind of release - and she didn't quite know how to go about getting it. Memories of the last night they'd acted on those desires left her wanting; it had been pure pleasure to have Troy touch her, but torture too. Like a prelude to something she'd only read about and didn't know what to expect from the experience; like the finale had been missing.

Troy watched her with those eyes, assessing her, not missing the way her fingers shook or how she folded them in her lap, beyond his view. He picked up his spoon once more to finish his desert, watching as Gabriella tore her gaze away to look about the restaurant in a search for some kind of equilibrium. To draw her attention, he rubbed the side of his dress shoes along the side of hers. Her gaze jerked back to his and something flashed in her eyes as she shifted in her seat.

"Are you okay?"

He wasn't sure what he expected - a quick exit to the washroom maybe to regain her composure? - but her answer wasn't it.

"I feel warm; is it hot in here?"

Troy swallowed his bit of soufflé with difficulty, not tasting it. It was only then he took notice of the faint flush in her skin - but just her face, but everywhere he could see. Her shoulders, arms, neck, and the swell of her soft, super soft breasts where they dipped into- he snapped his gaze back to her face. He was _not_ going to think about _that_. "N-no. I don't think so."

"Are you sure?" Her foot rubbed against his again, the only contact between them except their gazes. "You look a little warm too."

"I'm _always _warmer than you are." He wasn't about to admit why. "How's your desert?"

She jumped a little and a real blush crossed her cheeks as she looked down guiltily at the slowly melting luxury she'd _completely_ forgotten about. "Fine."

They fell silent after that, Gabriella keeping her gaze on her plate - but her foot slipped under the hem of his slacks, her bare toes caressing his shin above his socks. It was something she'd done many a time when they couldn't hold hands comfortably across a dining room table - except it did unexpected things to Troy's suddenly over active libido. Normally soothing, tonight it was anything but and he hastily withdrew his feet so they were planted with the heels firmly against the base of the booth's seat.

The look she shot him was both questioning and slightly hurt, but he couldn't have explained it if he tried. There was just something _erotic_ about that gesture tonight with everything that had just occurred, he didn't dare address it just yet. Scooping the last of his desert into his mouth, he placed the spoon in the dish and placed it on the edge of the table. Gabriella finished hers a moment later and the waiter magically appeared to remove the dishes - and leave the cheque.

Troy reached for it - he was a _little_ uncomfortable having her pay for it - but she snatched it before he could even glimpse it.

"Ah ah. My treat."

Folding his hands together, he watched her as she examined the bill to ensure everything was in order and then reached for her purse. To his surprise, she pulled out cash to pay, and his eyes widened when he saw three fifties and a couple twenties going into the billfold the waiter had left. She double checked the bill before counting the dollar amount and closing the billfold. Her hands had lost a good deal of their tremor by the time she was finished and she offered him a genuine smile as she slipped her foot back into its shoe.

"Ready?"

"Are you sure?" He nodded to the billfold, now _really_ uncomfortable at letting her pay for it. He'd had an inkling of what it would cost - even if she hadn't let him see a menu and ordered for him - but _still_. Principle alone demanded he at least offer, despite the fact he knew her well enough to know she'd decline.

"You can buy next time, Wildcat."

For the next _series_ of 'next times' if he had his way. Something in her gaze warned him not to argue as he got to his feet and straightened his slacks. Offering her his arm he pulled her close and pressed his lips to her temple. "Thank you."

Her arm sliding about his waist as they walked from the restaurant was his reward for not putting up a fight. Troy put his arm around her and escorted her back towards his truck. Awareness simmered between them just from his hand brushing her shoulder and her free hand came up to link with his over her right shoulder, her purse straps tangled between their fingers.

Their short walk was completed in complete silence, charged but comfortable on one level. The knowledge that whatever was happening was a mutually accepted thing, something they both wanted and neither knew where it would take them tonight. It was both terrifying and exhilarating, like the slow crescendo of a piece of music that was building towards a climax none of the performers could see.

It wasn't until Troy was once again behind the wheel of his truck that he spoke, breaking the heavy silence - and his words were full of meanings neither of them dared examine too closely. "So... where to next?"

Gabriella chose the most direct answer, evading the unintentional innuendo. "The beach - preferably somewhere close to home."

Home.

The way she said it... Maybe a walk on the beach wasn't such a bad idea - it would give them both a chance to adjust to this awareness between them. "The beach it is."

Turning into the residential streets of San Francisco where Gary Danko's was located, Troy navigated his way out of the city, heading towards Palo Alto at the posted speed limit - or whatever traffic was doing. Gabriella remained a silent temptation at his side, her fingers twined in his and the only point of contact between them once more. It was a comfortable reminder of _them_.

"Did you enjoy dinner?"

Troy _almost_ laughed at the question - except he knew she was struggling for a way to ease the tension just as he was. "Immensely; you?"

"I don't think I've ever eaten at a restaurant like that before."

"Me either." He squeezed her hand. "But I'm glad I went with you. Next time, though, it's my treat."

"We're going back are we?"

"If not there, a different one. There are a few restaurants with five star ratings around."

"I know - I looked."

Her impish delivery made her eyes sparkle - and Troy's heart skittered in his chest. The color of those dark orbs paired with the gleam of pure satisfaction made him think once more of that morning not so long ago; of the first time he'd kissed her breathless; of the first time they'd sung together and she'd cast off the shell of uncertainty to rise to the challenge. Every moment of firsts was contained in that one look - and it anticipated yet more.

Keeping his focus on the road wasn't easy.

"So what beach did you want to go to."

"Anyone; ocean or bay side, doesn't matter."

"You sound like a Californian."

Laughing softly, he caught her shaking her head from the corner of his eye. "Just some of the lingo; Liz and El..." she faltered, her smile fading at the mention of her two jaded friends.

"Ah ah, no school talk," he reminded her sternly. "And those two are off limits too. They've caused enough problems between us I won't have them wrecking tonight."

Squeezing his fingers, Gabriella silently thanked him for the reminder. "Just you and me tonight - is that it?"

"Just imagine we're the only two people in the world and we can do anything we want," he supplied recklessly, ignoring the fact there were cars all around them.

"Anything?"

Troy nodded. "_Anything._ We can walk on the beach, swing in the hammock at your place or just run through a field because we feel like it and not worry about interruptions or condemnation. Just you and me."

"Can I throw you in the surf?"

Laughing, he retrieved his hand so he could signal and down shift. "You can try."


	17. Opening Night: Part 3

**Author's Note:** Thanks for the encouragement guys! This is three of three – next chapter – Gabriella's 18th Birthday ;)

_Opening Night - Early December_

_Part 3_

Their walk on the beach was more relaxed than any other time between them that night as they each carried their shoes - and Troy his socks - letting the sand squish between their toes along the water line. Cool oceanic water swept back and forth across the sand, periodically soaking their feet and Troy made sure his slacks were rolled up well above his knees.

Gabriella soaked him anyway.

Catching a wave on her foot and kicking the water at him with a laugh as she pulled her hand free and then darted down the beach. Troy shook out his spattered shoes and glanced down at the water droplets that sprayed his white shirt and dark slacks. She hadn't drenched him, but he was wet enough to feel it.

"It's on now. Run while you can, Montez!"

She laughed, her feet kicking up sand and water as she ran ahead of him, glancing back over her shoulder as Troy took up chase. His feet pounded on the sand behind her, growing ever nearer as he steadily closed the distance between them. At a disadvantage due to the tight skirt of her dress, Gabriella waited until he was almost right behind her before veering to the side and away.

Troy slipped in the wet sand as he tried to stop, going down on one knee, his hand holding his shoes hitting the ground for balance - just as another wave crawled up the shoreline. Water soaked his slacks, spilling into his shoes and socks and spraying his shirt even worse - and Gabriella giggled, covering her mouth with her free hand. Another, stronger wave followed the first, splashing against his leg and spraying the rest of him - plastering his slacks and half of his shirt to his body.

Blue eyes met brown and his narrowed dangerously as Gabriella's widened, taking on a comically horrified look before she dashed away again, seeing her own dunking in that cerulean gaze.

"Don't you _dare_, Troy!"

Pushing to his feet, Troy discarded his shoes - he was going to need both hands for this and it didn't matter anymore if they hit the sand - and sprinted towards her. Wise to her tricks, he kept his weight on the balls of his feet, his smile almost feral as he drew near. She darted to the left, and Troy drew closer, using his longer stride to his advantage, cutting off another two paces. A quick shift left, and Gabriella threw her heels at him to try and draw him away. Troy caught and dropped them to the sand, intent on catching _her._

Gabriella shrieked as he correctly judged her next move, reading it in her body language as she veered right again - and his arms wrapped around her waist, lifting her off the ground as he skidded to a halt, "Gotcha - woah!" And nearly dropped her as the sand refused to stay solid under his feet.

"Troy!"

Laughing, barely able to contain her giggles, Gabriella was pulled close to Troy's chest as he rolled, going down in the sand and getting covered before she found the grains suddenly abrading the skin of her back and slipping under the hem as Troy rolled again and pinned her to the sand. He flicked his head to get his bangs out of his eyes and grinned. "I guess you dunked me after all."

"I had nothing to do with it!"

"Nothing?"

Her legs were free since he had them pinned chest to chest, one of her hands curled in the wet fabric of half his shirt, the other in the dry. He pressed down, the wetness of his shirt and top of his slacks soaking easily through the thin material of her dress and making her shiver.

"You're cold!"

"You _did_ say you were too hot." The mischievous gleam in his eyes brought out a stern expression.

"Don't you _dare_. You dunk me and I'll... I'll..."

"You'll _what_?"

She was having trouble concentrating with his chest pressed so close and his lips hanging so tantalizingly close above hers. Temptation beckoned and she struggled to maintain her line of thought. "I'll... You won't see me for a week!"

"Idle threat," his head dropped and he pressed a cool nose to her cheek, making her squirm to get away - but only resulted in tilting her head and giving him access to her jaw and neck. Nuzzling the arch of the tempting line, he feathered a kiss across her pulse that made her heart leap. "You're living with me in the New Year, remember?"

"Then I'll... I'll sew all your boxer shorts together!"

A burst of laughter escaped his lips as he pulled back to look at her, his hands braced on either side of her head. "You would, wouldn't you?"

"Maybe I'll do it anyway if you've ruined my dress."

His smile was a touch crooked - and roguish. "All for a good cause. You look ravished with sand in your hair and your skirt riding up."

"Troy!"

Hot color flooded her cheeks as he lifted one hand and teased her sandy tresses. "What? I have this urge to ravish you right here - but I don't think the gulls would approve."

He was teasing. The knowledge rose within her abruptly and she couldn't help it - she laughed. "The _gulls_ wouldn't approve?"

Troy nodded to the side and above her. "Take a look."

Sure enough, when she tilted her head, there were several seagulls starting at them, their eyes gleaming in the darkness. Laughter bubbled up once more as the ridiculousness of the situation caught her. Troy had her pinned in the sand and instead of kissing her - like she'd known he'd been dying to do all night - he'd teased her, putting on a light air that effectively eliminated the tension between them.

But not the awareness.

It still simmered, awaiting acknowledgement and notice of intent. It flashed in the depths of his blue eyes while he teased her and was in every line of his slightly rigid posture as he held her to the sand. It was in his touch, his look - and certainly, she knew in hers. Yet, for all the power it held, their friendship and camaraderie could overcome the awkwardness of the moments and give them a true feeling of acceptant.

Their eyes locked - and dropped almost exactly at the same time - to the smiling lips of the other.

Troy let out a soft groan of apology as his head came down swiftly and she was pinned to the sand, her hands trapped between them, and his lips hungry with purpose on hers.

It was unlike any kiss they'd yet shared. Unlike the branding kisses they'd laid on one another, this was both cajole and capitulation; surrender and challenge. Troy was daring her to respond, to meet his challenge and surrender herself while offering her _his_ surrender all at the same time. The tip of his tongue swept the seam of her lips, darting across it in a whisper of a touch, but demanding entry all the same. She forced him to earn it, allowing him access a little at a time, and doing her own exploration. Her head tilted as one of his hands delved into her hair, holding her in place for a deep, toe curling kiss.

Shifting beneath him, her legs rubbed together as the fiery burn that had been banked in the pit of her belly all evening flared back to full force - but Troy's torso was the only part of him he allowed her to touch. It was frustrating, agonizing torture as she yearned for more solid contact, for the feel of him pressed against her in a primal fashion that was as shocking as it was thrilling. Keeping her hands trapped between them by the pressure of their bodies, Gabriella was helpless beneath him and completely at his mercy.

It didn't occur to her to mind.

His lips left hers to trace the line of her jaw, pausing to gently suckle on the pulse point where it met her neck. She arched back as he did, pressing them further together as she gasped against the sensation and the liquid fire that spread through her veins with it. His name left her lips, a plea - a demand - that he didn't heed. Instead he continued his exploration of her tender skin and left a blazing trail in the wake of his mouth

"Troy," she gasped as his teeth grazed the line of her collar bone, his tongue dipping into the cleft - the very thing _she'd_ wanted to do to _him_ since dinner. Her fingers flexed between them, a cushion between the hard wall of his chest and the flattened softness of hers. She could feel her nipples pressing into the backs of them, every shift as he eased down to accommodate his exploration causing them to rub painful pleasurable against fabric.

Another shift and his mouth was back on hers, but her hands were suddenly free as he rotated to ease his weight off her. Gabriella grabbed his shoulders and _pushed_, toppling them both backwards so Troy was on his back, their lips separating for a breath before fusing together once more.

Caught up in the kiss, Gabriella didn't think as she threw one leg over his hips and straddled him to ease the unbearable pressure against her chest - and traded it for another sort of pressure.

Their kiss broke as she pulled back with a gasp, frozen in position - eyes wide - as her body settled atop his, cradling the throbbing length at the apex of his legs between hers. Thanks to the soaking his pants had taken, they stuck to him faithfully and she could feel ever inch of him in the most intimate fashion pressed against suddenly insubstantial barrier of her panties.

Three layers of thin clothing, two of them already soaked and the third by no means dry.

Troy's head fell back, eyes half closing as his hands convulsed - one digging into the sand, the other tightening in her hair for a fraction of a second before releasing her to slide into the sand on the other side of him. His breathing hissed through his teeth and she could _feel_ every beat of his pulse through the fabric separating them unaware _he _could feel _her_ throbbing the same way.

She leaned forward - and they both gasped as it caused her whole body to shift, tantalizing and tempting contact and - unable to help himself - his hips bucked into that friction, increasing the pressure on them both.

"Gabriella... d-don't... move..."

His stuttered plea was lost in a hiss as she straightened - and his hands came up to grab her. For a split second as they settled on her hips, he _almost_ pressed her downwards - but some distant corner of his brain was still, barely, rational and somehow he managed to find the strength to lift instead of pull. Her thighs were tight around his hips, and for a moment he thought she wouldn't release him. Desperation lent his strength from his prone position.

They separated, wet fabric gripping and sticking for a long second in a silent pantomime of agonized separation that was echoed in their own gasps as Troy pulled her away. Gabriella gripped his hands, her nails digging into the backs before he rolled and dropped her back to the sand. As she sprawled in a very undignified manner, Troy curled forward painfully, his knuckles white as his fingers dug painfully into his own flesh at the elbows. His head hung down and his breathing came in gasping pants as he struggled to control himself.

Beside him, Gabriella closed her legs on the throbbing she could now feel in her own flesh and watched him, shaking from the power of the sensations that still threatened to overtake her. Even now, watching him and _knowing_ she shouldn't, her hand reached towards him. Troy's struggled was clearly outlined in every muscle in his body and, impossibly, he tensed further as her hand settled on his shoulder. He'd have bruises on his arms tomorrow if he gripped any harder.

"Don't."

Her hand trembled where it touched him and dropped away - and Troy shot to his feet. Before she could ask where he was going, he was running - towards the surf.

"_Troy_!"

Not heeding her, he plunged into the cool water up to his knees - and fell backwards. Using his elbows to balance, he tilted his head back. So immersed, he kept his eyes closed as the water - it felt colder thanks to his internal body temperature being off the charts - as the water cooled him off in a way nothing else at that moment would. Unfortunately, it didn't banish the feel of her as she'd settled atop him - and he didn't know how he'd ever be able to sleep again knowing.

It was one thing to pull her up against him while standing; a complete different one to have straddling him.

"Troy?"

Gabriella's concern washed over him and brought his head up. He was soaked now, from head to toe, his bangs about the only dry thing left on him. Turning his head, he found her standing at the edge of the water line - and she stole his breath away.

Her hair was mused, littered with grains of sand he could see even at this distance. Her dress had ridden up and she was still making an effort to pull it back into place as she came after him. The 'neckline' was still firmly in place, thankfully, though the dark patches across the side and down one length of it revealed the dress was nearly sheer when wet - no wonder she hadn't wanted him to dunk her. Even at a distance he could make out the hue of her skin underneath it - and accepted defeat.

No matter what he did, there was _no way_ he'd be comfortable for any length of time tonight. Turning onto his stomach, he kept himself immersed in the water and used his hands to pull himself forward a few feet. "I'm okay," he told her roughly, answer her unspoken question. "Are you?"

"No."

Planting his feet under him, Troy rose and strode from the water, his pants and shirt clinging with loving and intimate detail. He ignored his own discomfort; the cool water had helped curb the vicious bite of lust that had momentarily caught him and her uncertain posture - the way she had her hands wrapped protectively around her own waist - only serving to curb it further. He would protect her; even from himself. "Was it something I did?"

She shook her head.

"Something... _you_ did?"

He watched her swallow, then nod and his heart lurched as she blinked back tears. If he hugged her the way he wanted to, she'd be soaked in moments and he didn't want to make matters worse. He settled for cupping her cheek with one hand and brushing a line of sand from the curve. "Talk to me, Gabriella; what's wrong?"

Still trembling, her body feeling as tightly wound as a coil, she lifted miserable eyes to his. "I did something you didn't want."

"You did?"

"Didn't I? You pushed me away."

Understanding dawned and Troy hung his head. He needed to do something about his lack of bodily control or she wouldn't stop getting the wrong idea. He just wasn't quite certain how to prepare for it when every time she touched him unexpectedly it was like... well, like lightning. She wouldn't take just his word this time; he could see the doubt clearly in her eyes as it mingled with sadness.

"This could be the start of something new; it feels so right to be here with you," he sang the words softly, releasing her face. Grasping one of her hands, he turned it over in his and traced his thumb along her palm as he kept his gaze locked with hers. She shivered. "Do you feel that?"

Nodding mutely, she acknowledged the spark without having to ask what. Troy continued, sliding his fingers across the backs of hers until he held her wrist, and then feathered the erratic pulse point with his thumb, lifting it as he continued to look into her eyes. Hers darkened as he raised it to his lips and flicked his tongue across it.

"And that?"

Another nod as motes of stardust raced through her from the contact - he released her wrist, taking her hand once more and pressed it against the soaked shirt over his heart.

"And that?"

"Your heart's racing."

"It's only one of the effects you have on me; Gabriella. You asked me once if I wanted you and I made you a promise not to do anything you weren't ready for; that slip of fabric is making it very hard to remember." Dark amusement flicked in her eyes - but she didn't ask the question his words had left obviously open - it was too serious of a matter. Troy continued when she made no move to answer him. "I didn't pull away because I don't want you but because I want you _too_ much. Even that dip didn't cool me off completely."

Her gaze dropped seemingly of its own accord - and widened as she took in the truth of his words, color blooming once again in her cheeks. "Does that mean... you don't trust yourself with me right now?"

Trust her to remember the _words_ he'd used the last time. He twined his fingers with hers and tugged her along, walking along the beach as he scanned for their shoes - anything to avoid looking at her directly as he broached a delicate and possibly combustible subject. "No. But I think we need to talk about this."

"What part?"

He brushed his thumb over her wrist and met her gaze pointedly. She licked dry lips, drawing his gaze and heard him groan softly as he tore his gaze away.

"Yeah, _that_ part."

A laugh escaped and she snapped her lips shut.

"I'm glad you find this so amusing."

"I don't," she assured him, though the small grin remained on her lips. "I just realized how lucky I am to have you."

"You _just_ realized?" Troy stopped dead, looking at her incredulously as the tension between them simmered down to a more manageable level.

Reaching up, she cupped his face and nodded. "Yeah. I've got you and you're this incredibly understanding boyfriend who would rather make himself suffer than push me into something I'm not ready for."

"I'd do anything for you, Gabriella."

"So I see." Her lips tilted teasingly and her words turned gentle. "I don't want to be the one to make all the first moves in our relationship, Troy; I don't want the responsibility of deciding when we're ready. What happened a minute ago... what's still happening, it wouldn't if we weren't ready."

"Hormones, remember?"

"Mr. Smythe said a lot in that Health class, Troy, but how much of it can we really trust? What I feel with you..." she trailed off. "I doesn't feel wrong."

"No," he agreed. "It doesn't. But just because we're caught up in the moment doesn't mean we're ready. What happened just now was too much too soon; it scares me - and it scared you too."

"Then let's try something else."

Arching his eyebrows, he waited for her to elaborate. She didn't disappoint him.

"Each time we've had one of these... moments, it's been after some kind of a kiss or charged moment, right?"

"Right."

"So we don't wait for that kiss or moment," her bravado was offset by her high color. "Nothing like tonight, but like last time?"

"Wait - are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Maybe," she hedged, looking away nervously. "What do you think I'm saying?"

"Something very dangerous to my frame of mind right now."

"Then you're probably right."

"And you," he groaned softly, "are reading my mind."

"We're... not going to become one of those couples that-"

"- finish each other sentences?" He arched his eyebrows, trying to lighten the mood. "We've been doing that since we met."

She laughed softly. "I _was_ going to say waste all their time making out and none of it studying."

"Never." He kissed the tip of her nose. "Though... it's pretty good incentive to study harder and finish early."

Gabriella laughed, the sound lacking the edge it had gained earlier in the conversation. "_And_ keep up your GPA."

"That too." Catching her hand, Troy tugged her back into a walk. "I don't know about you, but I've got _sand_ starting to dry in some pretty uncomfortable places. Let's find our shoes and get out of here."


	18. Gabriella's Birthday: Part 1

_Gabriella's 18th Birthday - December 14_

_Part 1_

Weak sunshine wasn't what woke Gabriella on the morning of her 18th birthday, but the smell of something delectable wafting through her room. Her brain was fogged from sleep as she inhaled deeply, the scent drawing her from slumber with surprising speed and purpose. Her stomach growled audibly - and a low, male chuckle brought her eyes snapping open.

Troy stood lounging in the doorway of her room, a breakfast tray in hand, a single red rose held in the vase. "Hungry, birthday girl?"

"Troy!"

Delight brought her sitting upright - until she remembered what she was wearing, and she clutched the sheets to her chest with a blush. Approval for her choice of nightwear shone in the depths of his blue gaze. He recognized the white body with the green sleeves as the half-sleeved shirt he'd once lent her to keep her warm. The sleeves almost came down to her wrist; and he suspected the shirt probably barely covered her to mid-thigh.

"Miss me last night?"

"Don't tease; it's too early and it's my birthday."

"I only tease because I love the view; you look good in my shirt."

The sincere way he said it made her blush deepen even as the warmth of his approval made her glow.

Stepping in, Troy brought the tray forward as she sat up in bed before placing it on her desk. With solicitous care, he smoothed the covers down across her waist and legs before leaning in to kiss her lingeringly - he tasted of minty freshness; Gabriella didn't want to _imagine_ that she must taste like. Still - he didn't seem to mind.

Pulling back, his smile was slow. "Happy Birthday."

"Mmm," Her eyes sparkled as he placed the tray across her lap - and then settled into her computer chair as he pulled it next to the bed. "What did I do to deserve this?"

"Turn another year older?" His tease was light. "I've always wanted to make you breakfast in bed; but I admit I cheated."

"Oh?" She picked up her fork, examining the goodies on the plate. Pancakes, covered in cream and strawberries; a dish of various fruits; four strips of crispy bacon and a tall glass of milk beside an equally tall glass of apple juice.

"Your mom helped."

Laughing, Gabriella took up her fork to cut into the pancakes, aware that Troy was watching her intently. She started on the outskirt of the pancake and worked her way in, offering him a bit of the fluffy concoction every now and again - except he declined with a faint smile. "I already ate."

Shrugging, she enjoyed the fact her boyfriend had gone to such lengths to surprise her. The dish of fruit disappeared quickly, leaving more room on the plate to spread the toppings around. She was cutting into the center of the pancake stack when something clicked dully against her knife. Her brows drew together and she tested the center again with the blade - and another muffled click had her putting her utensil's aside. Amused that Troy would hide something in her food, she shot him a look. "Should I be worried you're trying to kill me?"

"Not at this juncture," he assured her easily. "If I'd wanted to kill you I could have melted it down and included it in the pancake mix."

Point conceded, she moved the pancake away with her fork and knife, a small, tightly wrapped _something_ was two pancakes down. Lifting the tiny package from its resting place she arched her eyebrows at his choice of wrapping paper even as her heart skipped a beat in her chest. "A little light on funds, Wildcat?"

"I figured traditional paper would melt by the time you got to it - and I didn't want to ruin your breakfast."

"You couldn't have used a gift bag?"

"Too obvious."

Knowing it would drive him batty, she turned the small piece of plastic around in her hand, feeling where the wrap had been cut by her knife - and then set it aside to pick her utensils back up and resume eating. One look at Troy's expression from the corner of her eye had her fighting giggles around a mouthful of pancake; he looked as distraught as she expected.

"You're not going to open it?"

Washing down her pancake with a sip of milk, Gabriella shrugged, using the rim of the glass to hide her smile. She toyed with it, taking another sip before licking the residue off her lop lip in a move she knew would grab his attention. Knowing he's see through her, she arched her eyebrows innocently. "I'm more hungry than curious," she lied, her eyes dancing. "And these pancakes are _so_ good."

Troy's gaze narrowed as hers and she knew the jig was up when he pointed an accusing finger at her. "You're doing this on purpose."

Laughing, Gabriella put the milk back on the tray and set it aside before scooping the small plastic ball from the side of the plate and didn't bother to deny the accusation. "If you weren't upset, I'd have known it wasn't anything important."

He crossed his arms over his chest and sat back to watch her with an intent expression as she used her fingers to carefully pry apart the saran wrapping at the knife slice. Something indistinct clicked within as it widened. Pressing the bottom, two metallic circles popped free. Curious, she picked them up from the comforter - and her whole body froze.

Rings.

Troy had bought her rings. Turning her questioning gaze towards him, she silently begged for an explanation - and he looked nervous. He shifted, reaching forward to pluck the circles from her grasp and shifted them carefully, clicking them together and they fit into place. They were old and looked to be antiques. He wiped the palm of one hand on his jeans before lifting them so she could see they locked together perfectly - and then he explained.

"These... are called alliance rings." There was a nervousness about him she'd never seen before – not even when they'd fist sung together - even as her heart flipped in her chest. The name was familiar. He must have seen some kind of recognition in her eyes. "Do you know what it means?"

Her brain refused to work her lips so she just shook her head; she had an inkling, nothing more.

Taking a deep breath, he let it out. "Alliance rings are er... I don't know the history behind them, but the little I was told says that the one ring is worn by one partner as a promise ring of sorts; the other is worn by their partner. It's a symbol of promise and devotion; the missing half that makes you whole - so your other half gets the ring."

"Troy..." Her eyes flooded with tears and she launched herself from the bed to wrap her arms about his neck. "Oh _Troy_..."

He wrapped her close, his hug fierce. "It's not the ring I hope to one day give you, Gabriella," he explained softly into the fall of her hair. "But notice of intent isn't good enough; I want everyone who sees you to know you're mine."

"Troy? What are you..."

Pulling back, he slid from his chair to sit on the edge of her bed, his expression solemn. "I want you to marry me, Gabriella." He held up one hand, forestalling whatever she would have said. "Not today, not tomorrow, not even next year, but the day after we Graduate I want you to be my wife."

"Troy..."

He brushed tears from her cheeks. "Call this a pre-engagement ring," he told her softly. "I know four years is a long time and there's a slim chance we might grow in different directions between now and then, but when we don't and you're still my girl when we graduate, you marry me."

"Is that an ultimatum or a proposal?"

"A little bit of both - I don't think I could wait any longer than that to make you officially mine in the eyes of the law."

Laughing she threw her arms around his neck. "Then I'll pre-accept."

"Really?"

She nodded. "On one condition."

Troy stiffened in her grasp as she pulled back to meet his gaze and blue eyes searched hers. In that moment, there was nothing he wouldn't agree to, even if it killed him. "Anything. Name it."

"When you're certain, absolutely, beyond a doubt certain we're not going to grow any way but together - you propose to me for real."

"Oh, thank God." He sagged in relief. "You scared me for a second there."

"Oh?"

The smile that crossed his lips was almost sheepish and a little guilty. "Yeah. For a moment I thought you might want something else entirely."

Staring at him, she didn't completely grasp his meaning. "Something..." He arched his eyebrows, his gaze dropping deliberately to her lips even as he ran this thumb over the pulse point at her wrist. The resulting shiver brought the now familiar rush of desire sliding through her veins – and immediate understanding. "O h... _oh_!" She blushed. "No. We are _not_ waiting that long."

Laughing softly, he hugged her again, delighted with her vehement insistence. "My thoughts exactly." Releasing her, Troy leaned in to kiss her softly before brushing a thumb over her cheek. "May I?"

Gabriella held out her hand as Troy unhooked the alliance rings, separating them again, before taking one and checking out the inside. Silently, he showed her where his name was engraved inside before lifting her hand. His fingers trembled as he slid the ring deliberately onto the ring finger of her right hand. It fit perfectly – but only because Troy had been careful to learn her ring size ages ago. Lifting it, he placed a kiss over top it, their gazes locked. "So... who gets the other half?"

"Hmm," she appeared to consider it, knowing even as he did, that it was his by rights. "I'll have to think about it. I'm _very_ picky."

"Meaning you'd have to love him."

"Mm hmm; and he'd have to be sweet and thoughtful, not to mention strong, handsome, romantic, spontaneous _and _determined."

"That's quite the list." His eyes gleamed, amused. "Is being crazy about you a necessity?"

"Absolutely." Her smile turned teasing. "And he'd have to know me better than I know myself."

"Is that possible?" He leaned in to kiss the tip of her nose. "I think you want a paragon that doesn't exist."

"Not a paragon," she told him honestly, amusement disappearing as she squeezed his hand. "Just a man; one man. I know his faults and his failings, just as he knows mine – and he loves me because of them."

"And everything else about you."

Their foreheads met, basking in the silence of acceptance for long moments before Gabriella untangled her hand and reached for the half of the ring still in his. She examined the circle, finding her name engraved inside it and then looked at his much larger hands dubiously. Could he even wear it?

Troy held out his hand for her. "It might fit on my pinky." It didn't – and he blushed when she arched her eyebrows in silent disbelief and smiled sheepishly. "I was more worried if it would fit you, not me."

"Of course you were. Hold on a second." Gabriella shooed him off her bed and threw back the covers, careful to keep them off her unfinished breakfast, before sliding her legs out of bed. They were bare, the cuffs of a pair of short shorts – or boy-short underwear – were visible under the hem that had ridden high on her thighs, and Troy had to look away as she stood. Gabriella didn't seem to notice as she walked to her dresser and opened one of the small containers on its top. Unable to look away for long, Troy's gaze was drawn back to her as she rummaged – and noted he was right. Hanging straight down, his shirt only hit her mid-thigh – and left all of that bare silken skin for his perusal below it.

Turning, Gabriella stopped when the heat of his look seemed to sear through her with burning intensity – and it was only then she remembered what she was wearing; his shirt and nothing else. Color climbed into her cheeks as she crawled back into her beg and pulled the covers back across her lap for modesty sake. Extending her hand to him, she offered a solution to their dilemma.

"Here; this way you can still wear it."

In her outstretched fingers, was a silver box chain without adornment and Troy took it wordlessly – deliberately avoiding her fingers. Gabriella bent forward to retrieve her breakfast tray as Troy worked the clasp on the chain. It was an older chain and one she never wore anymore; the only chain that was ever around her neck – and never removed – was the "T" necklace he'd given her.

Resuming her meal, Gabriella watched as Troy was able to open the fastener and slid the ring onto the chain. She was mid-bite when their gazes locked as he lifted his head to look at her – and then deliberately lifted the chain and fastened it around his neck. He smiled faintly, tucking it into the collar of his shirt. "Thank you."

"Happy birthday to me," she told him with a faint smile. "Now I get to keep you."

"Gabriella?"

They looked towards the door at the same moment as Ms. Montez stuck her head in with a smile.

"Happy Birthday."

It certainly had been so far. "Thanks mom."

"How's your breakfast?"

"Delicious. Troy says he cheated and you cooked?"

Ms. Montez stepped into the room - but didn't come any further than the doorway. "Someone had to save my kitchen."

"I burned the first batch," Troy admitted with a faint blush. "Your mom took pity on me."

"They're delicious," Gabriella told them both with a smile. "I don't think I've ever gotten breakfast in bed for a birthday before." _Or proposed to - even as a preliminary to a real proposal!_

"That was Troy's idea. He tells me he has quite the day planned for the two of you."

"He does, does he?" Arching her eyebrows at him, Gabriella turned a quizzical look on her boyfriend. "He hasn't mentioned anything yet."

"I figured I'd wait until you had eaten, showered and were semi human."

She burst out laughing at his tease. "_Sure_ you did." Wait, indeed; he'd been too focused on ensuring she got his gift to even mention the rest of the day. "I think I'm finished eating, so what comes next?"

"Now you shower, find something casual to wear and I'll meet you downstairs when you're ready." Troy bent down to retrieve the tray with a smile and a wink. "Take your time, we're not on a schedule today – and I promised to do the dishes."

He disappeared, leaving Gabriella alone with her mother – who smiled knowingly. "So, what was it that Troy snuck into those pancakes?"

Trust her mother to have caught him when he thought he was being sneaky. Blushing, Gabriella looked away and twisted her hand in the covers. "Don't get the wrong idea about it, okay, mom?"

"Is it that bad?" The amusement in Ms. Montez's voice drew Gabriella's gaze back her way. Her mom settled into the chair Troy had vacated and the sound of the water running down stairs as Troy filled the sink was just barely audible. "Unless it's something I shouldn't know about yet."

"No no, it's not, it's just... it's not official, more like a promise thing."

"_What_'s not official?"

Releasing the covers, she extended her right hand for her mother to see. The silver band was unmistakable on her hand and the sharp intake of breath was what Gabriella had expected - but she held her peace, waiting to hear what her mother had to say.

Ms. Montez took Gabriella's hand in hers and examined the relatively plain band around her finger, tracing her finger nail along the edge where the bands would normally lock together. Troy had good taste in the understated, and the band matched the burnished metal of her necklace. "It's beautiful."

"Troy calls it notice of intent." Gabriella kept her response soft. "We know we're still relatively young, but-"

"If you're wearing it, Gabriella," her mother broke in knowingly, "then your heart knows what it wants. Just be careful, okay? I know I haven't been very supportive about you moving in with him but I _do_ trust the both of you to be responsible and adult about your decisions. You're eighteen today; you're in college and you're in a serious relationship I wasn't certain would stand the test of time."

"Mom-"

"Let me finish."

Gabriella quieted, waiting.

"Troy hasn't done the expected since we moved here. He's come after you twice; most men wouldn't have chased you once. He's given up comfort of home and family to be with you - but you're both going to change a lot in the next five years. College is a place to grow, to stretch your wings and discover who you want to be. That band on your fingers shows his determination to ensure the two of you do that together. Is that what you want? Are you sure _he's_ who you want?"

"I wouldn't have said yes if I wasn't."

"Yes to what?"

"Troy and I already talked about this - and we want to make it work. I don't want to grow apart from him any more than he wants to grow apart from me. He's here mom. I never thought he'd give up his dad's dream for the U of A - but he has. He did that, all of this, for me – for _us_. I love him – I'm _in_ love with him just as he is with me."

"Sometimes love isn't enough."

"Which is why he's not a thousand miles away at U of A." Gabriella pulled her mother close for a tight hug. "We're going to make this work, mom. You'll see."

"Just..." Pulling back, Ms. Montez cupped her daughter's face in her hand. "Try not to make me a grandmother before you finish college, okay?"

"I..." Coloring deeply, Gabriella couldn't find a response to that fear, not when she and Troy hadn't even technically discussed that eventual part of their relationship.

Kissing her daughter on her forehead, Ms. Montez rose to her feet. Pulling a small, rectangular package from her pocket, she handed it to Gabriella. "Happy Birthday, Gabi."

Her mother retreated to the doorway as Gabriella carefully undid the packaging, unsure what to expect after the surprising, and embarrassing, conversation. The paper came off with a tug - and Gabriella sucked in a sharp breath. Lifting her head, she met her mother's knowing and sad gaze before the elder Montez nodded once and exited the room. Looking back to her gift, Gabriella traced the see-through box cover.

Inside was the card to access her College fund – and a second card she'd never had to carry; medical insurance - her mother's way of saying that she was old enough, responsible enough, to make her own decisions with regards to her future and her health. Opening the box, she frowned as she felt something under the packaging of the two cards and placed them on the bed. Pulling out the filling, she encountered a smaller box - and turned scarlet as she read the note that obscured most of the front:

_Gabi,_

_I know you're responsible enough to think of this on your own when you're ready to make the decision; just read the instructions before use. There's a prescription for more inside if you decide to go this route. Be careful._

_Mom_

Covering her face with her hands, Gabriella didn't know if she should laugh or cry; her mother, the practical person she was, had bought her birth control for her 18th Birthday.

----------

**Author's Note: **A couple of things about this post**;** the _**real **_meaning of the Alliance rings will be explained later once Gabriella does her research - I can't see her being happy with Troy's explanation. Second, this is a three part update (once again) deliberately as there was no _way_ I was going to be able to fit their day all into one post; Troy knows what he did when it comes to Gabriella and wanting her - trust me - and what better day to make your girl feel you want her than her birthday, hm?

Thanks for reading guys; check back for updates tomorrow or Wednesday; we'll see how inspired the muse gets at work tonight ;)


	19. Gabriella's Birthday: Part 2

**Author's Note:** Just a bit of an explanation about Troy and Gabriella's ages; I used the Actors dates of birth, but not the year; I just modified it so they're the same age. When I looked up the school systems in the states, I found a little blurb on when children would have been admitted to pre-school – what year – and how the system works for how old children could be. Hence the reason they're just turning 18 – it keeps them on par with their class mates. Gabriella _is_ smart enough to have skipped a grade yes, but if she had, she'd be turning 17 – not 18.

Oh, just for kicks that would mean Chad & the Evans Twins were 18 by the end of HSM3; everyone else 17

And the alliance rings will be explained eventually; I googled it myself to see if I could find it, however, only vague references exist for the set I have in mind; so have fun!

**----------**

_Gabriella's 18__th__ Birthday - December 14_

_Part 2_

Troy led Gabriella from the house almost half an hour later, and turned her down the street towards a park they'd discovered half way between his place and hers. "So... anything in particular you'd like to do today?"

"I thought you had the plan for today."

"Not a plan," he admitted easily. "More like a rough outline. It started with breakfast in bed and giving you your gift."

"Then what comes next?"

"I didn't get that far. I figured if you said you didn't want the rings just yet, you might not want to spend the day with me."

Laughing, Gabriella hugged his arm and placed her head against his shoulder. "Never. There's no one else I'd rather spend today with. Though, I don't see how you can expect to top this morning."

"I never intended to," he said, surprising her. "I figured if you wanted to spend the day with me, we could start with a walk - and let whatever the day brings guide us."

"Another walk?" she teased him, reminding them both of the last time they'd been on a walk and what had happened. "I can't remember; does the park have a fountain?"

"No," Troy slanted her an amused look. "But then, I don't intend on letting things get that out of hand again."

"This isn't something we can just ignore, Troy."

"I never said I wanted to ignore it," He released her hand to slide his arm around her waist. "I said I intended to control it."

"And if I don't want you to?"

"I think it will make the difference between regretting and not regretting it, Gabriella." He touched the side of his head to hers as they walked. "The _last_ thing I want is for you to regret anything between us."

Her hand slid along his stomach as they walked, splayed across his belly. "Is that your way of saying we've danced around this topic enough?"

"You mentioned it," he told her reluctantly. "I hadn't meant to address it today."

"Why not?" Glancing up at him, she knew her color was high, but forged ahead. "My mother already did."

He stopped dead, spinning her in front of him so he could see her face completely. "Your mom did _what_?"

"She... you won't believe it."

"Try me."

Reaching into her pocket, since she'd known she couldn't just come out and tell him, she pulled the box of birth control pills from it and held it up so he could read. He mouthed the words on the box, finally reaching 'birth control' and stopped. His expression was almost comical as he darted a look from the box to her and then back. "I _hope_ you're joking."

"Do I _look_ like I'm joking?" She pocketed the box again. "It was part of mom's way of saying she trusts me to make my own decisions."

"Uh... oh." Color climbed up his neck and she watched, fascinated, as it turned his ears pink. "I guess we haven't talked about that yet either, have we?"

"No," glancing around, she grabbed his hand. "Come on, I found a place where we can talk."

Following her, Troy matched his pace to hers as she jogged the last block to the park and led him down a small pathway to a bunch of plants. Ducking down, she led him in. Inside, after several feet, the branches were pulled back with twine, leaving a small, secluded and private retreat for whoever had created it. A long length of stone had been place on two short tree stumps and balanced with other stones, making a bench that had obviously been there a long time.

"Ta da; my turn to share a secret hiding place."

"It's beautiful." And it was with the sun peeking through the branches above and the shrubs and trees blocking out the sights around them. It was like being in their own little world yet still outside. "How'd you find this?"

"By accident," she admitted. "I was riding home from school one night and got spooked. I fell through the bushes over there."

Troy looked in the directed they'd come from and arched his eyebrows. "You weren't hurt, were you?"

"Scratches only, but my bike was stuck and I couldn't pull it out in the dark. When I came back to collect it the next day, I stumbled on this and cleaned it up a little."

"I'm just glad you were okay." He pulled her into his arms and hugged her. "If I'd known about this, I would have suggested packing a picnic for later."

"Another day," she told him, escaping his embrace with a smile only to settle onto the bench and pat the space beside her. "Come here."

Troy sat, and turned so his knees touched hers. "We don't have t talk about this today; it _is_ your birthday."

"What better day to talk than the day I'm technically an adult?" He couldn't refute her logic and she knew it. "We need to stop dancing around this Troy or we _won't_ be able to control it."

"Which part - the attraction or the chemistry?" His knee nudged hers. "Because I know that attraction is something I've been controlling since the night we first met."

"We know where this is eventually going to lead to," Gabriella searched his features. "But... _when_?"

Troy's eyebrows rose at the way she said it. "When we're ready; hell, Gabriella, I haven't even been able to touch you without feeling it in every nerve ending. At that rate, I'd never be able to make love to you because I'd be done well before that."

"You don't know that."

"You know what happened the last time I touched you."

"But... at the beach..."

Troy ran a hand through his hair. "I was close, _very_ close - and that wouldn't have been fair to you."

"Fair to me." she repeated the phrase incredulously. "Troy, not everything is about me."

"This will be." He caught her hands in his. "Because I _want_ it to be. Do you remember what Mr. Smythe said about a couple's first time?"

Color burned in her cheeks. "About the pain, you mean?"

He nodded.

"He made it sound so sordid, like he didn't see how a woman _could_ enjoy her first time. Like it was something... like there was nothing he... _you_ could do to avoid it."

Troy well remembered the way the teacher had seemed to relish making his pupils squirm, and part of his fears had stemmed from that rather detailed and impersonal instruction. That Mr. Smythe had made a deliberate point of picking the couple known best around the school - he and Gabriella - to direct his comments at hadn't gone unnoticed. It had been one of the reasons they'd talked about the physical side of their relationship the same day and decided to take things slow. But taking things slow was an option neither of them seemed inclined to follow any longer.

"I've been thinking about that a lot and I think he was trying to scare us - so I looked it up."

"Troy!"

"What? I don't want you to be scared of me, Gabriella. I refuse to think I could hurt you as badly as he said, especially now."

"You couldn't hurt me."

"I could if I'm not careful." Lifting one hand, he stroked her cheek. "But I've also found I can make it less painful too. But only if I stay in control."

"So we proceed as we were going to then, or was that a bad idea?"

"It's a brilliant idea." Troy assured her. "I think we should avoid having you sit on my lap like you did on the beach though - for a little while anyway."

Gabriella felt a flush cover her skin as the memory of the sensation teased at her senses and she shifted, feeling the very throbbing in her memory suddenly become a reality. Straddling his lap was a little too far for the moment no matter how good it felt. "G-good idea."

Rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb, he teased the soft skin with the pad, sweeping it in slow, deliberate strokes across her skin. "We started one morning in my apartment and I had to stop rather abruptly. I've thought about that morning a lot, Gabriella and... I'd like to try it again."

He was saying her he wanted to touch her - a thrill ran through her system.

"Me too," she exhaled, shifting in her seat again. "What if things get out of hand, Troy?"

"Can they?"

"I'm sure they could. I _like_ having you touch me and I'd like to touch you too; it might naturally lead elsewhere."

"Touching won't always be enough, is that it?" He tugged on her hands, drawing her closer and across the stone bench. "We could include kissing."

"K-kissing?" she shivered as he brushed his thumb deliberately over the pulse point in her wrist, hoping she wasn't dreaming and about to wake up.

"Kissing." He confirmed softly, leaning in to brush said kisses across her cheeks. "You have... the softest skin and I haven't been able to get the feel of it against my lips out of my head since the beach the other night."

"Really?"

Nodding, Troy released her hands and dipped one under her knees, drawing them across his lap as he pulled her unresistingly across the stone bench. The backs of her thighs touched his before he stopped, one hand splayed under and around her knee, the other having lifted to cup her face. "Really."

Her eyes closed on a whimper as he bent his head to her neck, his lips brushing softly over her skin and her head fell backwards. He took his time, leisurely exploring the exposed skin above the modest line of her collar from the upper curve of her collar bone to the roots of her hair at her forehead. Clinging to him, Gabriella registered the strength of the stone against her back and Troy's forearm under her head. She also, in that moment, noted that his hand was no longer under her knee, but had slid up her thigh only to stop about mid-way up. Her hands, she noted idly, had twisted again in his shirt.

"Troy?"

"Do you want me to stop?"

She almost choked on a laugh. "Stop and I'll murder you."

His chuckle was warm against her skin. "What is it then?"

"You haven's kissed me yet."

"No?" He planted his lips against the under curve of her chin. "I thought that's what I was doing."

"_Properly_."

His arms slid from under her head and away from her thigh as he braced himself on his forearms above her. Her eyes fluttered open in question and were met by soft humor.

"Is that an order, birthday girl?"

It was amazing, she marveled absently, that with a simple, teasing phrase he could take the tension that had been building between them settled back into the very things that had defined their relationship from the start; respect, consideration, comfort - and chemistry. It didn't kill the awareness - it never did - but it removed any barrier of awkwardness that might have remained.

"Troy, if you don't kiss me in the next two sec-"

His lips settled over hers, cutting off her threat, tilting her head to kiss him properly. Troy seemed to take her complaint to heart and set about kissing her with a thoroughness that left her as breathless as she was boneless. His heart beat a staccato rhythm against her finger tips through his shirt, the speed of it seeming a counter point to her own pounding pulse as Troy finally pulled back, his chest heaving. They stayed silent, quick kisses exchanged between breaths as her eyes opened to meet his and found him smiling down at her.

"Better?"

"Much." Releasing her hold on his shirt, she ran her palms up and across his chest. It was a move she'd never tire of and one they were both familiar with. It still made his breath catch when she skimmed over the fabric lying tight against his pectorals, but it was a reaction both knew how to control. "Mmm, I think I'm going to like being eighteen."

Troy laughed softly, nuzzling her ear. "Do you feel different?"

"I feel like you're treating me differently - that's not a bad thing," she assured him quickly. "You seem more relaxed today, Troy. How come?"

"For starters you're wearing my ring, not just the necklace I gave you." He didn't lift his head from its place at the side of hers, his nose staying firmly planted just under her ear and his lips brushed her jaw as he spoke. "I've been thinking about giving it to you for the better part of two weeks so if I was acting funny, I apologize."

"It's more than that." Pulling away, she turned her head, trying to look at him. "I can't explain it exactly, but something feels different today."

Troy shifted, stretching out beside her along the stone slab. Dense foliage at his back poked and prodded in places but he paid it little mind as he propped himself on his elbow to look at her. His change of posture left her hands with nothing to do, but his legs nudged hers and he was curled around her hips with precious room to spare. It left her with little doubt to his state of arousal, but even so there was a comfortable air between them; he didn't have to hide and she didn't expect him to.

Lifting his free hand, Troy touched her face gently. "I've done a lot of thinking since the night we spent at the beach and I came to a few conclusions."

"Good ones, I hope?" Rolling slightly, Gabriella shifted until she should prop herself up as a mirror image to his pose so she could look him in the eye.

"Mostly."

Arching her eyebrows, she waited in silence for him to elaborate.

Troy sighed, collecting her free hand - her left hand - to play idly with her fingers. Anything to touch her. "I didn't just think about us, I thought about everything that's going to happen over the coming months, even in the next couple of years. Things to do with you and me and our relationship, basketball, the theatre thing, you moving in with me and how your school load is only going to get heavier in the coming months."

He stopped for a second, gathering his thoughts. "Do... you ever play a 'what if' game, Gabriella?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you ever ask yourself things like... what if I'd never met Troy Bolton."

She laughed, lifting her hand to poke him in the chest. "My time at East High wouldn't have been nearly as much fun," she told him honestly. "Nor as magical. Why, do you wonder what would have happened if you'd never met me?"

He shook his head. "Not anymore. I used to, but not since we started college. I more ask myself things like... what if you decide you _don't _like living with me. Or, what if my habits get on your nerves."

"And the answer?"

"I don't have one - and I won't until you move in after Christmas."

"Does that mean I'm your Christmas present?"

Troy grinned impishly. "Could I ask for a better one?"

"I won't be gift wrapped."

Something that looked like mischief sparkled in his eyes. "I wouldn't count on that."

They shared a laugh as she caught his meaning and blushed softly. His mood abruptly sobered.

"Are you _really_ okay with this move, Gabriella? I feel like it's been forced on you since you don't really have anywhere else to go."

"I'd rather live with you than in the dorm or on my own." She considered the thought with the same gravity that he'd asked. "And I spend almost all my free time at your place anyway, so it makes sense."

"It a big step, bigger, in some ways, than you wearing my ring."

She lifted her head so she could look at her hand and the plain band that surrounded it. Smiling, she rubbed her thumb over the inside of the burnished metal and shook her head as she lifted her gaze back to his. "Moving in with you feels like a natural progression, Troy. Something we would have done eventually - and sooner, not later. Before you heard my mom was being offered a job elsewhere, you'd mentioned it, remember?"

"Yeah, but that was for next year so we could find a place with two bedrooms and a little more space."

"So? It just means you'll have to get a bigger bed."

"My twin isn't good enough for you?"

Gabriella grinned. "My Queen is more comfortable."

"And newer," he agreed. "So we trash mine and bring in yours. Problem solved."

"As easy as that, is it?"

"I told you I wanted you to bring whatever you need to be comfortable. If you're sure about this, then that apartment isn't going to be just mine anymore, it'll be ours - until we find some place new."

"Do we need some place new?" Searching his gaze, she saw a glimmer of unease. "Your apartment is perfect, Troy, what's the problem?"

"It's a little small."

"It's good enough for us, besides, it's not like we'll both be there all the time. You still have to work, make rehearsals and practices and I have study groups to attend among other class requirements. We'll be lucky if we see much more of each other than we do now."

"That's _not_ reassuring."

She laughed softly at his dry retort, reaching up to run her fingers through his hair. "Except at night," she amended, attempted to appease him. "We both sleep at about the same time and you'll be there in the morning when I leave for classes, before you have to go for yours."

"I hope we have more time than just that."

"Me too." Gabriella sighed softly, tracing the shell of his ear with her fingers. Troy's hand had shifted to rest comfortably at her waist and his fingers were teasing the hem idly. "On the bright side, break is soon and you're staying in Palo Alto instead of going back to Albuquerque."

"And there are set holidays," he agreed, "and spring break that all coincide."

"I _want_ to move in with you, Troy," she assured him softly. "It's sooner than either of us expected, but it's something we'd already talked about."

"If you're sure."

"I'm sure." Gabriella could almost see the weight of it lift from his shoulders, adding to the sense of relaxation he seemed to have despite obvious physical discomforts in her presence. Resuming her previous posture, she tilted her head at him. "So what other things do you ask yourself 'what if' about?"

His fingers flexed on her waist. "What if... we're not really ready for a physical relationship and we're just listening to our hormones?"

"I hope you're joking."

"Hey, I never said it was something I _liked_ doing, it just happens. I have my doubts, same as you, and I want you, Gabriella. A lot. So much it's almost terrifying." He lifted his hand to collect her again, twining their fingers together. "But it's not just the physical side of things; I love knowing you, know what makes you tick and the kinds of things that make you smile. You draw me in so many ways I sometimes wonder if you're a dream."

"Do I feel like a dream?"

"Sometimes; you even taste like one."

"What do dreams taste like, Troy?"

"Joy," his response was so swift, she knew he'd thought about that very question a lot. "Pure, unaltered joy. Acceptance and love."

"You've given this some thought."

"A little. Sometimes I can't stop myself brain from wondering about things before I sleep."

"Anything else I should know?"

"Just one."

Waiting patiently, she watched a strange transformation come over him as he sobered abruptly, his blue eyes suddenly clouded and smoky. He seemed to brace himself before speaking and a frisson of unease skipped down her spine even as she forced herself to give him the time to say whatever it was he thought about. He finally exhaled softly and managed a faint, nervous smile.

"Sorry, I guess I'm nervous about addressing this with you."

"How come?"

"It applies to a future we haven't talked about much."

"So we'll talk about it. Come on, you can tell me."

"Alright, here goes. What if... no matter how careful we are, you um... end up pregnant?"

Speechless, Gabriella stared at him for a long minute. His expression was solemn and a little tense, waiting to see what her reaction would be - and he held himself completely still. Pregnant; the mother of Troy's child. It was terrifying but thrilling all at the same time and something her mother had thought of but she hadn't consciously considered.

That Troy had showed he wasn't just looking at the short term of taking their relationship to the next level; but then, the ring in her breakfast should have warned her. Troy's arrival in Palo Alto had bespoke intentions she hadn't completely comprehended at the time; moving in with him, accepting that the physical part of their relationship was something eventual was one thing, but Troy was talking forever.

And he was talking about it without turning three shades of pink.

"You didn't think to mention this when I showed you that box of pills?"

"I figured we'd work our way around to it."

"A baby," Gabriella smiled faintly. "I'd like to have your baby someday, Troy."

He felt as if she'd just awarded him a medal. Not just any baby, _his_ baby. "And if that day comes sooner than expected?"

"_If_ it happens, we'll deal with it."

"Deal with it? You're very accepting about all of this."

A smile curved her lips. "Since we're not actually doing anything that could even remotely be considered as a risk of pregnancy, don't you think you're worrying a little prematurely?"

"Maybe?" He didn't sound convinced. "I just don't want to go into this with my eyes closed."

"I never took you for a planner."

"I never was... until you," his smile echoed the words and sent her hurtling back almost two years to the East High roof top when they'd been discussing callbacks. "That happens a lot when I'm with you; I do all sorts of things I never thought."

"Like sing?"

"And dance."

"And act?"

"Only you could have gotten me up on stage."

"You're a fast learner." She grinned. "But I don't think we need to worry about a baby just yet. Even if I did get pregnant, there's a nine month gestation period and we can figure out what we're going to do then. We can't possibly know what to expect based on Mr. Skyes health class. Like you pointed out, he seemed intent on scaring us."

"I don't know about you, but he sure scared me."

"You just didn't like being pulled in front of the class," Gabriella teased. "I've never, before or since, seen you turn that _particular _shade of pink."

"Sure; laugh. That little question and answer session gave you information you've been using against me ever since."

"What, that you're circumcised?"

"Don't start."

"Or that you aren't interesting in pornography."

"You're asking for it."

"Or that you don't masturbate?"

"_Gabriella_!"

Laughing, she rolled as he nudged her - and promptly fell off the bench, landing on the ground with a squeak. It effectively stopped her laughter as she struggled to breathe again. Troy's blue eyes appeared over the side of the bench as he folded his hands and placed his chin on them, watching her. He grinned as she worked to draw air back into her lungs.

"Anything _else _you'd like to tease me about, birthday girl?"

Shaking her head, she held her hands out to him. Troy, being Troy, leaned over the bench, still stretched across it, and let her wrap them around his neck before drawing her back up. He rubbed his hand over her back as she lay folded against his chest and air slowly wheezed back in. Their eyes locked, laughter bubbling through and she giggled - only to be effectively silenced for the second time that morning; and she didn't mind one bit.


	20. Gabriella's Birthday: Part 3

__**Author's Note: Ages & other things**

The US Department of Education web site says the following about birthdates:

**School Entry:** **U.S. children enter formal schooling around age 6 (**_**some enter at 5 and others at age 7**__** depending on the relationship of their birthdate to the school calendar**_**). **

It's not unreasonable to think they graduated at 17 – I finished my high school career at 17 as did a bunch of other students in my class. Trust me – it_ is_ possible.

I _did_ do my research into this before starting this fic and I've _chosen _to make the year both Gabriella and Troy started have a later date than September 1 as the cut off for when they turn 5. As their ages aren't _technically_ canon (they're never said one way or another) I reserve my right to explore the option I wish to take.

Please take into consideration that I _might_ just have a reason or two for 1) making them the same age and 2) making them 17, turning 18. As a work of _fiction_, I reserve the right to bend the rules of the real world a little here and there. Also, living alone as a Student at 17 isn't unreasonable either; just tricky – again I reserve the right to bend the rules to make this work the way I have planned.

---------

On another note, the alliance rings will be researched _after_ Gabriella's birthday. Since her Birthday was supposed to be in three parts (now it's four), it's technically 1 chapter; so the post after post 4 of her birthday will talk about alliance rings... and other things.

Lastly, with the last chapter before this one, I met the NaNoWriMo (That's the "National Novel Writing Month") requirement of 50,000 words in the month of November. I started this fic November 1st and challenged myself to meet and beat the word requirement. Yay me! :)

Now, back to your regularly scheduled program; look - it's an update!

An update that's been re-written three times because I didn't like how it turned out originally and refused to post it until I was at least quasi happy. As such, it's longer – and now Gabriella's birthday will have one additional part.

Enjoy.

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_Gabriella's 18__th__ Birthday - December 14_

_Part 3_

Troy kept Gabriella busy through the day, keeping her away from both his place and her mother's, but also in areas where they weren't likely to run into their fellow students. They hit the mall early, shortly after their walk in the park, and stopped in at one of those dollar picture booths, taking a bunch of goofy and silly photos. Troy had insisted they buy a party hat and return for more.

In all they came away laughing - and twenty dollars poorer - but it had been worth it. Several of the pictures were quite good, and her cell phone image of Troy was less than current, so she enticed him to the beach. He'd been anticipating her moves all morning and had even anticipated this one, revealing her swim suit and his trunks in one of the bags behind the seat of his truck. December or not, it was still warm enough to swim if they kept it short.

He'd driven south to one of the beaches they'd never been too - and Gabriella had spent the next hour trying to catch the perfect picture of him. Troy, obligingly, had cavorted in the water, sprawled in the sand - anything she'd asked - and thoroughly enjoyed himself; except she wasn't joining him.

Exasperated, he'd finally threatened to dunk her fully clothed if she didn't change only to dunk her immediately once she had. Laughing, they'd spent the morning like children until lunch time and the hottest part of the day had Troy calling it quits. They were both relaxed and exhausted from their morning so Troy had treated them both to ice cream and hot dogs; not the smartest or healthiest lunch, but it had been her choice with the feel of the morning and Troy was obligingly cooperative.

Wandering away from the beach, they'd encountered a grassy knoll overlooking one of the more popular stretches. Troy stretched out their dry towels and drew her down so they could watch the water and the surfers. They napped for a bit - and Gabriella got her picture; one he didn't know about - before waking and turning their attention to the sky and the myriad of clouds skating leisurely across it.

Cloud watching occupied them for a couple more hours before the angle of the sun warned that the afternoon was ebbing away. Winter hadn't yet officially started, and wouldn't for another week or so, but the days were shorter and daylight wouldn't be nearly as long as they'd thought.

"Comfortable?"

Gabriella smiled but didn't look his way as she kept her eyes on the clouds. "There, that one; it looks like the tree next to my room in Albuquerque."

Troy followed her finger, ducking his head to look directly behind it. They'd long since exhausted simple shapes and were now competing to see who could find the most complex - and something they'd both recognize. He made a face. "It does, doesn't it?"

"I win."

"Hey, I can still find something."

"You've been watching the clouds for twenty minutes without seeing anything; just concede and I'll name your forfeit."

"My forfeit, huh? Sounds exciting."

"Depends on what you call exciting." She finally turned to look at him with that smile, tucking her left arm under her head as she did. "I could just make you my slave for a day."

"You call that punishment?"

"I never said it had to be punishment, just a forfeit."

"Then I concede - because I'd love to be your slave for a day."

Arching her eyebrows, she looked at him amused. "You would, would you? Even if it means you have to wait on me hand and foot."

"Anything you wish," Troy rolled so he was kneeling and bowed to her obsequiously as he prostrated himself. It made her laugh. "I'm at your service."

"You're _always_ at my service."

"I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be. So what will it be? Shall I carry you back to your chariot or feed you grapes one at a time?"

She wiggled her toes - which were still bare from their earlier cavorting - at him and commanded him. "Wash my feet."

Troy blinked. "There's no water."

"I don't care how it is done, just do it."

Her imperious tone had him arching his eyebrows, his blue eyes twinkling. So she was going to play master after all. Interesting. He bowed low again. "As you command, my queen."

Pushing to his feet, he glanced around for something to carry water in - and came up with nothing. Not even his shoes would hold water, and he wasn't anxious to lose another pair. Gabriella was watching him, laughter shining in the depths of her eyes - she'd made her demand on purpose, knowing he couldn't bring water to her effectively. Sweeping down, he grabbed her about the waist and hoisted her into his arms as she shrieked, laughing as she told him to put her down.

Ignoring her, Troy swung her around until she was over his shoulder, and then took off at a trot down the knoll. An outcropping of land met the sea at the base of it and he caught just a glimmer of water somewhere within. Gabriella slapped her hands on his back.

"Let me down, Troy!"

"You commanded me to wash your feet, and wash your feet I will."

"You're supposed to bring the wa... _Troy_!"

Dropping down, he stumbled and his hand automatically clamping down on her buttocks to keep her in place. The feel of those five, warm digits as they curved to the rounding of her backside was enough to make her squirm a little. That grip tightened, his finger tips digging into the flesh to keep her in place.

"Hold still, Gabriella, or I'll drop you."

"You wouldn't dare."

"If you keep moving, I might not have a choice."

She stilled, knowing he wouldn't have said something if it hadn't been a problem and expected that the moment she stopped, he would shift his grip. Troy, to her surprise, left his hand where it was - lovingly cupping her behind - as he moved from grass to sand, and then suddenly her world tilted again and he set her down. His hand was replaced by cool rock and she could see his grin as he knelt before her.

"Safely down. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"I'm fine, but my feet are still sandy." Holding them out pointedly, she arched her eyebrows.

Shaking his head, he knelt before her and gently brushed the sand from the toes, mischief in every line of his expression.

"No funny business; you're to wash _only_ my feet; no more."

"Of course... mistress."

Gabriella struggled against a laugh. "That's better. Now, wash!"

Troy continued to brush the sand from her feet, using soft strokes across the base of her foot and toes; strokes that tickled and made her feet twitch. Clamping one hand around her ankle, Troy continued his ministrations until her feet were silky smooth against his palms. Gabriella watched him intently, managing to stem the mild ticklishness by chewing on her lip, and couldn't help but watch as his fingers slid lovingly over the skin of her feet. It was doing strange things to her insides to have him play with her toes. Both familiar heat and unfamiliar sensation coiled together in a surprising mix of want. Who'd have known having him play with her _feet_ of all things would be such a turn on?

"Troy?"

He jerked, as if coming out of a trance, his gaze shooting to hers. "Sorry," he apologized quickly, sweeping her back into his arms with one under her legs and the other around her back this time. "I got carried away."

The blush on his cheeks showed she wasn't the only one intrigued by that play. Troy carried her down a few feet, past sandy divots with small amounts of trapped sea water and down to a small tide pool that was fed as the ocean lapped the shore and retreated. He set her down briefly before stripping back down to his trunks. Lifting her once more, Gabriella couldn't resist the urge to run her hands over his chest as he settled her on the fabric of his t-shirt. His jaw was set against any effect she might have on him.

Troy knelt in the chill water, taking her foot with her as he immersed both - and proceeded to do as she asked. With loving and careful attention to even the smallest spot on her foot and ankle, Troy's fingers moved with precision as they carefully washed the grime of the day away. The motion was soothing, the pressure he placed on the nerve endings both comforting and erotic as he rubbed gentle circles across the base. Her head tilted back as she eased back against the rocks and let him pamper her a little. While the water was cool, it held some of the heat of the day and it wasn't unpleasant... and his ministrations to first one foot and then the other were heavenly.

"Where did you lean to do this?" She gasped softly.

"Sports medicine."

"Isn't that the... _ooh_ there. Harder Troy... _there_."

Troy obliged her, following her softly spoken instructions as if his life depended on it; hearing her so uninhibited in her enjoyment of his touch was as much a pleasure for him as it sounded it was for her. She mewled as his fingers touched a tightened tendon and he was struck by the sensuality of what she was saying. It was like something out of a naughty dream. His hands slid upwards of their own accord, massaging the back of her calf muscle in a practiced move; it was one learned on his own flesh from too many cramped muscles and it was something he didn't think about.

It was only when her foot unintentionally brushed the hard ridge covered by his short as it bobbed gently in the water - water that was up to his hips - and he inhaled sharply that they snapped out of the lethargy. Gabriella froze as Troy's hands stilled on her foot and slowly, almost reluctantly, released it to the water's embrace. They bobbed before him, for a long moment before she pulled them down so they were just under the surface and away from him.

"I think..." he cleared his throat. "I think they're clean."

Nodding silently, she swallowed and then tried her voice - except nothing came out. Her cheeks heated slightly and she tried again. "I think you're right."

Troy turned rubbing his hands together in the water and adjusting his trunks before standing. The chill water had helped somewhat. Turning back to her, he put out one hand as she made to move. "You don't want to ruin all my hard work do you?"

"Can you handle me in that state?"

The double entendre hit them both at the same time and his eyes glittered with dark amusement. "I can _handle_ you in any state."

"Both states we've been to you mean?"

All three," he corrected with a grin, following her topic shift. "Though, you didn't seem inclined to be handled in the first; falling off the stage to avoid me - what was that all about?"

Laughing, Gabriella stretched her arms out to him. "I didn't even know your name, how'd I know you what you were going to do?"

"Oh really..." Troy swept her back into his arms, his smile almost diabolical in nature. "And how do you know what I'm going to do now?"

"You're thinking about dropping me," she told him pointedly, latching her fingers together around his neck.

"Mind reader."

"Hardly; you just seem to think that if you're wet, I should be too." She'd meant it playfully, as a tease, but somehow it came out as anything but

It was as if someone had flipped a switch.

His grip on her tightened fractionally as his gaze found hers. Heat radiated from where his hands gripped her, careening between them with an intensity that left no room for awkwardness in the wake of her statement. His eyes had darkened only to deepen further. Slowly, deliberately, his grip on her legs eased and she straightened only to slowly slide the length of his body.

Their gazes never wavered and she heard more than felt the chill water lapping around her feet, then ankles and finally her calves as she was eased down. The water in the shallow pool - hip deep on Troy when kneeling - finally settled just below her knees as she stood against him, his arm wrapped securely about her back and keeping her close. His head dipped, and she tilted hers to him, twining her fingers in his hair as their lips met.

Troy pulled her upwards, so she was standing on her toes, as he kissed her the way he had earlier, only with infinitely more care. She melted against him, feeling boneless and wound by tension all at the same time. The length of his arousal pulsed against her lower belly, nestled firmly between them a blatant statement of intent and desire and the thrill of having him _finally_ holding her the way she'd often dreamed made her whimper.

This day was too perfect; she _had_ to be dreaming.

It was she shock of his touch as he shifted his grip that told her she wasn't, for Troy was always the perfect gentleman - much to her dismay - in her dreams. She'd been eased back to her feet and he'd loosened his grip, sliding his hands down her back in a caress she felt clear to her toes. Those hands she dreamed so often about moved to bracket her waist before pulling upwards again, caressing her bodily from waist to underarm, his hands brushing against the sides of her breasts. He repeated the caress, sliding his hands back down her body with a groan she felt more than heard against her lips.

Gabriella shifted her grip, breaking the kiss as she took his face in her hands and tilted it away. Her lips slid down his jaw, drawing a ragged breath as they skimmed down across the skin of his throat. His heartbeat throbbed beneath her kiss and she touched the tip of her tongue to it, noting how his heart beat and his engorged anatomy seemed to keep time together. Blood; it was all about blood - heart's blood. Continuing her exploration - she'd been wanting to taste him since he'd removed his shirt earlier - she gave into that impulse. Her mouth traveled down across his throat and to his shoulder even as her hands slid from his face to his shoulders and then upper arms.

Troy stood still, letting Gabriella have her way with him - letting her explore as he had previously. The memory of that exploration and its repeat occurrences was burned into his memory and it was only fair she be given the same opportunity. There was, he marveled, little hesitation in her touch or her kiss as she traced the line of his collar bone and touched the tip of her tongue to the cleft. Lacing his hands together at the base of her spine, he splayed them across the upper curve of her backside, keeping her pressed intimately against him, but giving her room.

Gabriella, however, didn't stop at that simple exploration.

Knowing he was submitting to her pleasure was heady knowledge, and spurred her onwards just as the soft sounds of approval he made at her touch did. She'd felt him before - always clothed - but now she dared to explore the muscles of his upper body as he stood shirtless. Her fingers slid in from his arms and over his shoulders as she lifted her head and met his stormy gaze.

Troy was unable to bite back the gasp at her daring as her hands slid downwards suddenly and settled over the tight beads of his nipples. He'd felt hers earlier as they'd pressed against him through the thin barrier of her shirt and swim suit, but this...

"Gabriella..."

There was a cautionary note in his tone that she didn't heed as she traced butterfly soft circles around the points, touching the tips with hardly any pressure and feeling his response more than seeing it. He jerked under her touch, his breath hissing out between his teeth, and he went rigid. Not because he _didn't _like it, she understood now, but because he _did_ like it - maybe a little too much. Knowing she had that kind of effect on someone as strong, both physically and ethically, as Troy was like having the world at her fingertips.

His hands flexed, a warning she didn't heed as she watched the play of emotion across his features - in particular through his eyes. Arching her fingers to points, she dragged them down across his chest, catching his nipples briefly as they left thin red marks in their wake from shoulder to stomach. He growled, a sound she'd never before heard from him, and she gasped as his grip on her changed. His hands slid within the loose waist band of her shorts and covered her backside deliberately, pulling her up, back to her toes and further until the pressure of his sex was practically against hers and all he had to do was tilt his head to reach her mouth.

Their lips met and his kiss was fiercely possessive and a touch wild, a meeting of lips and tongues that bespoke a hunger threatening to become unleashed. They were shaking and, despite the cool breeze coming in off the ocean as the sun dipped towards the horizon, she was warm. Hot even, feeling stifled by the material of her shirt and the unfulfilled desire his touch continued to fuel. His fingers seemed to burn, leaving imprints where they gripped around the high cut of her suit and she whimpered softly, shifting against the pressures on both sides of her body.

"_Troy!_"

His name was both breathless plea and demand that he do something, _anything_, to assuage the ache that had lodged within her. Slowly, carefully, his grip on her eased and he bent, lowering her back to the ground, their bodies separating slowly. The firmness of the rock was beneath her once more and she made a soft sound of protest as she lost the feel of him.

Troy surprised her, his hands sweeping up, taking her shirt with them and dropping it to the side as it left her in her one-piece swim suit and shorts. Cool air hit super heated skin and why he'd placed on the rock became readily apparent as he knelt before it.

On his knees, he pulled her back forward so he was between her legs, her chest brushing his, but his personal _issue _was hidden. The height of the rock cropping mean his lips were almost level with her collar bone and the feel of his lips against the upper curve of one breast made her gasp. His hands spanned her waist, his thumbs teasing the under curve where her swimsuit faithfully cupped her.

Lifting his head, he met her half-lidded gaze, restraint clear in every line of his posture as his hands teased the line of her belly and back up to the tender flesh which seemed to beg for his touch. The ache had centered in her chest, focused almost unbearably in the painful tips of her own nipples and she bit her lip. If this was what he'd felt, she wondered how'd he'd been able to stand it. Gripping the rock, she waited to see what he would do, a voice in the back of her mind whispering about public beaches, but she was too intent on Troy and his touch to pay it any heed.

His eyes gleamed in the dying sun light as he slowly shifted his grip, following the same path he had that morning several weeks ago when he'd first _consciously _touched her like this. Gabriella whimpered softly as his hands settled upon her, his palms brushing against the highly sensitized tips in a fashion that had her pressing into him for contact - contact he refused to give just yet.

"Troy... _please_..."

"Please what?" Troy's voice was hoarse, belying the control he was exerting.

"Touch me... please... I can't... I..."

Moving his hands, he cupped her breasts, watching as she released her lip with a moan and then gasped as his thumbs touched the sensitized tips hidden beneath her suit. Pressing down against them, her whole body jerked in his hands as heat exploded within her body and his name left her lips on a shocked gasp - a gasp loud enough to echo around them.

Leaning forward, Troy silenced her by cupping one hand around the back of her neck and otherwise occupying her lips and mouth. He caught the gasps and moans within his own as he continued to explore her through the fabric of her suit. The hook at the back of her neck holding it in place was temptation personified even as he traced the line of her swimsuit – and his finger tip delved beneath it. He caught her purr of pleasure as the tip of his finger tip brushed over one hardened nipple and her body strained towards the touch.

Supporting her on one forearm, he made a soft sound of apology as his lips separated from hers and he bent his head to her chest, his mouth closing over one tightened nub. She let out a loud, throaty moan of approval as her fingers threading into his hair to keep him in place. Her touch was like a benediction and surrender all in one. The fabric of her suit was quickly damp, leaving the thin barrier between them, but the pressure of his mouth through it was like a tease of things that could be and quickly, very quickly, it wasn't enough and he hooked the fingers of his free hand into the neckline of the bathing suit.

"_Hey_!"

The intrusion brought Troy's head up sharply and his hand slid from her top, dropping to her waist.

"_You folks okay down there_?"

Gabriella whimpered at the loss, not appearing to have heard the stranger. Looking for the source, Troy pitched his voice low as he drew her back into a sitting position. "We've got company, Gabriella."

Out of the corner of his eye he caught her expression as it turned dark, her high color having to do with her state of excitement and not the fact they seem to have gotten caught; another intrusion in a long line of intrusions that always seemed to happen at the _wrong_ moment. Spying the man in uniform at the top of the knoll, Troy lifted his arm.

"We're fine, Officer," he assured the man, inwardly cringing; it figured they'd have been stopped by _police_ of all people.

"Officer?" Gabriella glanced back - and burst out laughing, dropping her face into her hands as she bent over, her shoulders heaving. "We... have the _worst_ luck."

"Gabriella..." Troy's soft tone held a cautionary note. "Laughing about this might be a good way to get me arrested."

Her head came up sharply and her lips snapped shut.

"_Are you sure, young man_?"

The officer looked ready to come down the knoll after them, but Troy waved up and him and smiled. "We're sure, sir. We were just rinsing out feet."

"That area can be dangerous even at low tide; you might not want to stay long."

"Yes sir."

Rising to his feet, Troy collected his clothes and hers, offering her his hand so she could stand. Gabriella accepted, pulling her shirt back over her head before reclaiming his hand. Troy, as he was still pretty wet from the pool, didn't bother dressing and instead simply threw his clothes over his shoulder; he'd change when they got back to his truck. They climbed the knoll together, heading towards the Officer - an elderly gentleman who was easily to mistake as a police Officer when in fact he was local beach security.

The man looked them both over critically and arched his eyebrows. "Everything okay, miss?"

"Just fine, sir. My fiancé's been surprising me for my birthday."

The old man's eyebrows hit his hair line as he turned his attention completely on Gabriella - missing Troy's opened mouthed reaction and the gleam of surprised approval that shone in his eyes. "Well I'll be damned; I didn't mean to intrude on a pair of young love birds. Congratulations... and happy birthday, miss; enjoy 'em while they're something to look forward to."

"I intend to," she assured him with a grin, squeezing Troy's hand in warning. "If you don't mind me asking, how'd you know we were down here?"

"When I came across those abandoned beach towels, I thought someone might be in trouble."

Trouble. Yup, they'd been headed for trouble, just not the kind the old man obviously thought. "Thank you for checking up on us; it's good to know we wouldn't just go missing around here."

"Just doing my job." he addressed his next words to Troy. "Treat her right, son, a woman's too precious gift to waste - especially one as beautiful and polite as this one."

"And smart," Troy supplied. "She can run circles around me in just about any topic."

"A keeper for sure."

"I wouldn't have asked her to marry me otherwise." Troy glanced Gabriella's way, his eyes gleaming with mirth; she'd started it, and he was willing to play along. "Mind if we hang around? That sunset's worth watching tonight."

The old man snorted and waved them towards their towels. "I doubt you'll do much watching, but you're welcome to stay. Just stay out of those pools when the tide comes in, they can be pretty dangerous with the currents the rocks cause. Enjoy your birthday, miss."

Gabriella and Troy shared a look as he wandered away towards a parked car and then Troy arched his eyebrows. "Fiancé, huh?"

"Do you object?"

"I'm just marveling at how easily you said it." His correction was impish - and a little awed. "It sounds like you've practiced."

"So... what if I have?" She couldn't help the blush that infused her cheeks.

Troy pulled her close, his smile soft as he placed his forehead against hers. "You, Gabriella Montez, never cease to amaze me."

"What?"

"For someone so academically inclined, someone who _plans_, you're a dreamer."

"That's your bad influence; before you, I was a very practical person."

They shared a smile.

"Guess we've rubbed off on one another, huh?"

"You could say that." Gabriella turned her head to watch the sunset he'd spoken to the security officer about, completely unmindful of the fact his trunks were still wet and soaking through the fabric of her shorts. "Other people would call it meeting in the middle."

"What would you call it?"

She was silent, thinking about it for long minutes as the sun dipped further over the horizon. Trust Troy to know she hadn't been speaking about herself when she'd made the comment, no matter how fitting. "I... think I would call it growth. Mutual growth. You've shown me things no one else would have been able to and I'm sure I've done the same for you. You learn from me, I learn from you and it means we grow in the same direction."

"I think I have more to learn from you than you have to learn from me." Troy straightened, letting her rest her head against his chest as he lifted one hand to stroke her hair. The mood they'd been encased in down in the tide pool had dissipated, retreating to a low hum of awareness that wasn't all consuming but instead a matter of being. It was simply there. "So what happens if you can't learn anything else from me, hmm?"

Her lips curved. "Then we'll find things we can learn about together."

The brilliant colors of the sunset stretched across the sky before them as they watched the sun ebb away in silence. Pinks, purples and golds faded as the sun disappeared completely. Only once the light had faded into night did Troy speak again, her mood subdued.

"I have another what if for you."

She turned her to face him questioningly, unable to make out his features as well as she would have liked in the dim light. "Sounds serious."

He shivered, the cool breeze off the ocean affecting him more now that the sun had disappeared, but he didn't make to move away. "What if... that security guard hadn't stopped us back there?"

Gabriella stared at him. What if; she didn't know. Whatever had blossomed between them had been a controlled kind of madness that Troy had seemed to orchestrate every step of the way - minus a touch or two. She swallowed hard, the simmering need between them demanding recognition. "I'm not sure. What do you think would have happened?"

"I think that surf would have been very cold when it finally came back in and shocked me to my senses."

"You weren't - in control I mean?"

He exhaled a long sigh. "I wish I could say yes - you sound so sure."

"But you weren't?"

"Not by a long shot. The only thing I did right was kneel _by _the rock instead of _on _it."

"Says who?"

"Gabriella!"

"I can't help it if that's how I feel." She pulled away, wrapping her arms about her elbows as she stared at the dark horizon, well remembering those moments in his embrace. It had felt like she was _alive_, charged and attuned to herself and what she wanted for the first time. Perhaps it was the day, or his pre-proposal... whatever the case, the time had _felt_ right to explore - only to be interrupted. Turning back to face him, she attempted to explain.

"When you touch me, Troy, I feel... so vibrant, energized even. Like there's this... reservoir of repressed energy that suddenly has an outlet - but doesn't. Does that make any sense at all?"

"To me, yes - but I feel it too." He picked his towel up from where they'd left them earlier and wrapped it around his waist in an attempt to drain off some of the moisture still in his shorts - and consequently against his skin. Not that being cold at that moment was a bad thing. "What if I hadn't stopped, Gabriella – do you know what I was about to do?"

"I know what I think you were going to do."

"And that is?"

"My suit would have gone the way of my t-shirt."

"Close." He smiled faintly and extended his hand to her, drawing her back unresistingly against his chest when she placed her hand in his. "But I don't want the first time I see you or taste you to be out here where anyone can walk in on us. I'm actually kind of glad that security guard showed up – if we'd gone much further, I don't think I would have been able to stop."

Closing her eyes, she tucked her head against his heart to listen to its rhythm. "Right time, wrong place?"

"Something like that."

He ran a hand down her back as he pressed his lips against her forehead. The mood, however, had disappeared and only a twinge of awkwardness remained. By unspoken agreement they separated after a few minutes and collected their gear, heading back to his truck.

Gabriella gave Troy a chance to change by busying herself with placing the basket and bags in the bed. When he stepped out clad in low slung jeans – and very obviously _only_ the jeans - her mouth went dry. He was shirtless, shoeless and boxer less. She swallowed hard; she hadn't thought tucking the rest of his clothes away would create such a sexy temptation – but she should have after having seen him in just a towel.

"Forget something, Wildcat?"

Troy, for his part, only laughed softly. "_Someone_ stole my clothes when she went to put everything away."

"Not _all_ of them," she assured him, not bothering to deny the accusation. "Just what you didn't need; it should be against the law for you to wear a shirt."

Crossing his arms over his chest, he drew her attention upwards until their gazes locked – and he deliberately raised his eyebrows, amusement and heat lurking in the azure depths of his eyes. "You like the scenery, do you?"

"Mmm hmm." Her eyes sparkled. "You make the _perfect_ birthday present."

"I do, do I?" He took a step towards her – but Gabriella stepped back, a teasing smile on her face. "It's a little hard to be a present when you already belong to someone."

"And when you're not wrapped?" her grin turned cheeky.

"Or mostly unwrapped." He rounded the side of his truck, using one forearm to brace himself against the corner of the bed, watching her as she stopped just beyond his reach. Striking a pose, he slid the fingers of his right hand into the pocket of his dangerously low riding jeans. "Or was that the point?"

"You're my slave until midnight," she reminded him haughtily, well aware he could see right through her. "So, as part of your forfeit, you may _not_ wear anything I don't approve until such a time as I say otherwise – or midnight. Whichever comes first."

Laughing, Troy conceded. "Can I at least have my shoes? Driving will be very uncomfortable without them."

"I'll allow you your shoes; where are we going?"

"Your birthday's not over yet," he informed her as he snagged his runners from the bed of his truck. "I'd intended to take you out for dinner."

"Do you mind if we eat in?"

The unintentional double entendre hung between them in the heavy silence as their eyes locked and Troy slowly straightened from his task. So she couldn't miss the action, or reaction to her words, he deliberately pulled his jeans higher on his hips. Gabriella, however, didn't have the grace to blush as her eyes dropped down, deliberately taking in every inch of his naked flesh, lingering on the chain and ring still about his neck, but not stopping until they hit the waist band of his jeans – and the hand now splayed over his zipper, his thumb hooked inside the waist.

"Eating in," her gaze shot back to his and Troy's blue eyes blazed with intention. "Sounds like a _great_ idea."

A flush crawled over her body, the zing from before racing through her veins like wildfire. Intention and desire arced between them soundlessly, combusting from its embers to emerge in the kind of awareness that bespoke almost electrical attraction. The hairs on her arms rose, and a shiver of anticipation raced through her frame at the promise in his gaze.

Troy knelt to put his shoes on, breaking the eye contact once more.

"Troy-"

"Get in the truck, Gabriella."

Knowing better than to argue, she did as he said, knowing he needed a minute. What she missed was Troy hanging his head in defeat as he braced his forearm on the bumper. Things were hurtling towards what seemed like an inevitable conclusion tonight - just what fashion they achieved it seemed to be in question.


	21. Gabriella's Birthday: Part 4

**Author's note:** This chapter earns the story rating for sexual situations and content. Anyone uncomfortable with **adult** situations is encouraged to press the "back" button on their browser.

_Gabriella's 18__th__ Birthday - December 14_

_Part 4_

It took Troy ten minutes before he could climb back into the cab of the truck and sit comfortably without pinching something important or giving Gabriella a peep show. As it was, he was aware that she had propped herself in the corner of the seat and was watching him instead of the road. Thankfully, he had the distraction of needing to watch where he was going and took it. When she claimed his hand to play with his fingers about halfway back to Palo Alto, he squeezed her fingers to let her know he wasn't ignoring her, but refused to look her way for more than a moment at a time.

He didn't dare.

"Are you okay?"

Exhaling as she finally broke the silence; he debated how to answer her and settled on a question in return. "In what way?"

"You're very tense."

He laughed - he couldn't help it. "That's all _your _fault."

"Are you in pain?"

"Not the kind you mean," he sent her a cautionary look, warning her to drop the topic. "You're not exactly relaxed either."

Her lips quirked into a small smile as she cocked her head to look at him. "Am I supposed to be?"

"I don't know - are you?"

Laughing softly, she realized belatedly what he was doing - and turned the tables on him. "Not with part of my brain saying you think _I'm_ going to be dinner."

His knuckles turned white on the steering wheel and he shifted in his seat with a wince.

"Troy?"

"Yeah?"

"What... exactly did you mean by that?"

"By what?"

"When you said eating in would-"

"I know what I said."

She snapped her mouth shut in surprise when he cut her off deliberately. Staring at him, she started to remove her fingers from his, but his grip tightened, keeping her hand where it was.

"I'm sorry," the words came out strained, but sincere. "I don't mean to snap, but could we _please_ talk about something else until we get home?"

Twenty five minute of something else.

Gabriella chewed on her bottom lip, unaware that doing so was only making it harder for Troy to concentrate on driving. Twenty five minutes before she'd know what he meant; before she might finally be able to quell the knot of need that had settled at the base of her spine like a burning brand. Need. She shifted in her seat, trying to get comfortable, looking his way again - and it didn't help. Shirtless, illuminated only by the occasional light of a pass car, Troy was a temptation she couldn't, and didn't want to, resist.

He swerved as she dropped her free hand high on his thigh, almost jumping out of his seat. His gaze dropped to her fingers for a fraction of a second before jumping back to the road, both hands taking the wheel. A horn blared as he avoided a car in the oncoming lane and pulled his truck back onto the right side of the road, glad they weren't on a primary route. He checked the shoulder and pulled off, slamming the gear into park as the truck ground to a halt and killing the engine.

"Oh _man_." Tilting his head back, he closed his eyes. Gabriella's hand lay forgotten on his leg for a moment as he considered what had almost just happened and took a deep breath. That had been _close_.

Traffic passed by, the odd car here or there, their headlights alternately casting the cab in light, shadow and dark. Gabriella's fingers flexed, drawing his attention once more, and he froze - going rigid beneath her palm.

"Troy?"

_Oh man_. He wanted to remove her hand, but his fingers were suddenly glued to the wheel, both hands clenching it tightly as she stroked the tight muscle, seeming to be completely unaware of what that motion was doing to his imagination. That he could _almost_ feel her stroking something else in the same vicinity as the painful constriction of his jeans became apparent was proof of his rampant imagination - and that he was at the end of his restraint.

Wanting her was killing him.

Her hand stilled - _thank God_ - but instead of leaving, curled around the muscle instead of staying splayed across the fabric. The darkness inside the cab, momentarily split by headlights of passing cars, would give her little visual assistance - but she wouldn't need it at the rate she was shifting her hand. In moments she'd know just how agonizingly aroused he was if her hand kept curling inward and down.

Nearly getting them killed had been a distraction, but it hadn't done a thing to alleviate his current state.

"Troy? Are you okay?"

Okay? Was she crazy? He'd never been _less_ okay in his life. He swallowed hard, trying to formulate some kind of a reply that would get her to move back to the other side of the cab.

Instead, Gabriella shifted closer on the seat, her hand squeezing the muscle uncertainly as it dipped. He inhaled on a gasp as her fingers brushed against the obvious ridge in his jeans - and knew in that moment _she_ knew he wasn't 'okay' and why. A strangled sound escaped as he tilted his head all the way back and his fingers flexed on the steering wheel, praying she'd remove her hand and give him peace to get a grip.

"Oh... I see."

Something in her voice should have warned him as she pressed against his side and then her hand moved, pulling back. He exhaled, both relieved and frustrated by the action - only to gasp as her hand settled on him once more, this time splayed across his fly and throbbing flesh beneath. The tip of his erection brushed her thumb where it sat on the waist band - and there wasn't a thing he could do about it. His body begged for her touch and refused to cooperate with any conscious command he was able to give.

His fingers refused to uncurl from the wheel and his hips pressed forward of their own accord, pushing the palm of her hand more firmly against him. The cool metal of his zipper was uncomfortable and he shifted in his seat, panting softly as he struggled to find some kind of control; some kind of restraint.

It went out the window as the pad of her thumb grazed the tip of him with one deliberate flick before coming back to do it again, taking a beaded drop of moisture with it. Flesh against flesh, the sensation was everything he'd dreamed it would be, and torturous all at the same time. It wasn't enough - not _nearly_ enough. Her lips grazed his ear as her hand pressed down, running the length of the zipper and drawing a groan from him that was pure frustration - with himself and with her.

His restraint had been something he'd counted on and he'd needed to learn in the weeks since of their first true experimentation, but nothing had prepared him for this. Gabriella was a touch hesitant, following his lead by listening to how he responded and _feeling_ his reactions to her touch. The heel of her hand ran back up his zipper, passing over the top and button before sliding free of the fabric to rest low on his stomach. He inhaled sharply - he had to stop this.

"Gabri-"

Her fingers slipped beneath the waist band of his jeans as her lips touched his ear again, her hand hesitating for a fraction of a second before sliding completely within the tight confines of his pants and taking him in her hand.

"-_ella_!"

Troy's control could take no more and his hands slid from the wheel, one reaching down to cover hers from outside his jeans with a muffled curse as the other reached roughly to touch her face. His head turned and he sought her lips, cupping the back of her head as he kissed her desperately. He eased down in his seat, shifting to give her better access as he pulled her across his chest. His tongue slipped into her mouth, darting with penetrating strokes that echoed the act he _wanted_ to do with her - but wouldn't; not in the front seat of his truck.

Somehow, in the back of his mind, he retained enough presence of mind to remember that.

Gabriella kissed him back with increasing fervor, her hand slowly running the length of his erection. As she felt him respond, shifting her hand this way and that, her strokes became bolder, more confident, spurred on by his acceptance and reaction to her touch.

And then she stopped.

Her hand stilled, but didn't leave his jeans as she tore her mouth away and Troy opened his eyes with an agonized groan. He was so _close_.

"Troy?"

His name was a breathless plea on her lips once more and she shifted uncomfortably. She was trembling; he could feel it in the way she lay across him, straddling one thigh, and he could feel the heat of her through the three layers of fabric separating them. When he opened his eyes, her pupils were wide, her skin flushed - he didn't need her to say it when he could read the raw need plain in her face.

She wanted what he was feeling.

The hand at the back of her neck slid forward and downwards. He caught her lips once more, lifting the hand that had been pressing hers down into his jeans so he could grasp both of her breasts in his hands at the same time. The fabrics between them made for unsatisfying contact and Troy, instead of removing her shirt, slipped his hands beneath it. The shadows of the cab only heightened the surreal experience as his hands slid up the fabric of her suit, the second barrier between them. With a deliberate move he pulled down the stretchy fabric of the top as he'd been about to at the beach and cupped her bare breasts for the first time, pressing against the engorged nipples with his thumbs.

She arched, breaking the kiss, and he latched onto her nipple through her shirt, making her gasp. The hand around his sex flexed, squeezing him tightly, and he couldn't maintain the hold he had on her as the nub of tender flesh popped free from his lips. Sliding his hands down her sides, he nuzzled her breasts through the fabric of her shirt. "Easy," he told her softly, his tone ragged as he tilted his head to kiss the underside of her chin.

"I... I want..." Gabriella gasped as his hands splayed across her hips, his thumbs pressing into the joint where her hips met her thighs - and slid downwards. Straddling his thigh, she couldn't follow the first reaction of clamping them shut. Instead they clamped firmly about his leg - and left her open to his exploration.

The breath hissed through his teeth as her hand stroked him once and then stopped - his fingers digging into the muscles of her legs for a brief moment before continuing downwards towards the apex. She tensed, but Troy was beyond stopping. His thumbs brushed over the damp fabric of her shorts, able to feel her pulsing against his hands. Their gazes locked and Troy lifted one hand away, only to slide it across his own thigh directly between hers, and _press_.

Her mouth formed a silent 'O' of surprise as her body reacted to his touch, jerking forward in an effort to shift the contact to exactly where she felt it was needed. Once, twice, she moved against his hand in a fashion that was almost hesitant as the burning in the pit of her stomach wound tighter with each move, driving her onwards to alleviate the ache that was now ever present in his presence. Her eyes half-closed as instinct took over, the hand that held him moving in time with her own half frenzied thrusting.

It was too much.

Watching her with her head back; _feeling_ her as she pulsed and throbbed against his hand; hearing her as she gasped and moaned with the new sensations cascading through her body put Troy over the edge. Her name left his lips on a ragged cry, his hands flexing unconsciously - and in turn rubbing Gabriella in just the right spot. She gasped in surprise, pushing down against that contact with a moan that sounded like his name and shuddered as pleasurable bliss swept aside all conscious thought and the ability to hold herself back.

Gabriella collapsed against Troy's chest, his hand trapped between them even as hers remained where it was within his jeans. The echo of their breathing was loud in the cab as they both fought to regain control, coming down from the experience.

Lifting his free hand when he was able to move again, Troy brushed her damp hair back from her face where it rested in the crook of his neck. Satisfaction like nothing he'd yet felt permeated his being - and a little apprehension. "Gabriella?"

"Mm?"

She sounded content; satisfied. At least he could say that he hadn't disappointed her - even if this wasn't exactly what he'd had in mind when they'd left the beach, and certainly not in his truck!

"How do you feel? Are you okay?"

Moving then, she tilted her head towards him and smiled. It was a languid – pleased – and holding more than a little shy wonder. "Wow."

"I'll say." His lips curved in an answering smile. "You are... _incredible_."

She blushed, her fingers flexing as she slowly withdrew them - almost shyly - from his waist band. Troy caught her wrist - her fingers were coated in fluid - and smiled apologetically. "Sorry about that."

"Don't be," despite her blush, she kept her gaze level with his. "It's a part of the process, right?"

"Right." He grasped the hem of her shirt and twitched it. "And so's the clean up. Since my shirt is in the bed of the truck, yours gets the job."

She giggled; the awkward tension that had been rising between them fading away as Troy carefully cleaned her fingers. Then, deliberately, he snaked his hands under the hem - and tugged her bathing suit top back into place. Gabriella took the hint, pulling her shirt of her head and offering it to him, knowing first hand that the inside of his jeans were going to be cool and clammy until he cleaned himself up.

Easing back off his thigh, they both inhaled sharply as she slid across the backs of his fingers, his hand twitching for a moment before lying still. Sitting back on the seat, Gabriella shifted to try and find a comfortable position. Troy wasn't the only one who would be cool and clammy on the rest of the ride home.

It took a couple of minutes before Troy sat back, tossing her shirt on the floor on the passenger side with another faint smile of apology. Gabriella shivered; the air inside the truck was moist and they'd managed to fog up the windows. But no longer in the throes of passion, overcome by need and desire, the air felt chilled.

Troy drew her back to his side - and she went willingly, snuggling close as he checked his seat belt; he'd never removed it. He'd have lines on his chest tomorrow from where it had bitten into his neck and shoulders. He'd ended up sitting on the lap belt when he'd buckled in back at the beach to prevent further discomfort – but he had not expected that not having it across his lap would have that _particular_ benefit.

Silence was heavy inside the cab for a long minute - until Troy broke it after she shivered again. "Cold?"

"A little."

"Wait here."

Unbuckling his belt, he kissed the top of her head, taking the opportunity to take a lung full of Gabriella scented air before slipping out of the cab. He was back minutes later with a couple of shirts and the blanket they'd used at the beach instead of their towels. Climbing back in, he set the blanket around her shoulders and then pulled her close so they could share. It would be awkward to shift, but he was unwilling to let her go far - even across the cab - after what they'd just shared.

"Troy?"

"Yeah?"

"You need to start the truck if we're going to go anywhere."

He wrapped both of his arms about her, turning in his seat. With the truck off, he could cuddle her to his heart's content and pulled her practically into his lap. "I don't think I can drive just yet - safely anyway."

There was no mistaking the smile in her voice. "That good, huh?"

"Um hmm," he pressed a soft kiss just in front of her ear. "I can't believe that you... that _we_ just did that."

She ducked her head away, and he could feel the heat of her blush. There was the sound of her mouth opening and closing as she seemed to be trying to ask something, but couldn't form the words. Rewrapping his arms about her waist, he nuzzled her neck, feeling particularly cuddly - the need to be as close to her as possible at that moment trumped anything else. Gabriella settled against him, feeling the same kind of need and gave up attempting to say whatever it was she'd been trying to. The feel of her bare back and shoulders against his chest was just the contact he craved and from her soft sigh - and the way she melted against him - he guessed she'd been craving it too.

Gabriella, unbeknownst to Troy, was reviewing everything she'd learned today about him and his reactions to her. She was still slightly embarrassed at how forward she'd been - who'd have thought she would make that kind of move? - but Troy had enjoyed it. Not only had he enjoyed it, it had compelled him to lose a few of those inhibitions which had previously kept her from completion.

But not tonight.

Troy had been pulling back all day; at the photo booth, the beach, down in the tide pools and in the parking lot. True, all public places, but it was gratifying to know she could affect him - and please him - as he did her. Embarrassment gave way to curiosity and while she was still hesitant to push much further for the moment while still recovering from the pleasure of it all, she knew there was more. She and Troy hadn't gone all the way, but if this kind of manual stimulation between them had resulted in such euphoric sensations, what would their eventual joining be like?

That curiosity didn't stop her from relishing the feel of his arms about her, or the way his heart beat a steady, if slightly accelerated, rhythm against her back. This, she knew with certainty, was where she belonged. Here, in his arms, loving him the way he loved her - and sharing that love in different ways. Troy, for example, had shown her repeatedly today, just how much he did love her.

He'd taken her birthday and made it magical. He'd taken her places for just the two of them, places with meaning rather than expense. And while she knew he was a little tight on funds, if he'd thought she wanted to eat somewhere expensive, or go somewhere, she knew he'd have done it for her in a heartbeat. Of course, as unintentional as this particular encounter might have been on his part, it was the perfect ending to a day spent watching and wanting him - and it wasn't over yet.

How long they sat in the cab of his truck huddled together like that, Troy didn't know. It could have been minutes or hours - but when he reluctantly straightened she sighed softly, as if in resignation.

"I guess that means you feel up to driving."

He laughed, dropping a kiss on her cheek. "Something like that. I promised your mom I wouldn't keep you out partying all night."

"Mm," the smile that curved her lips was pure mischief. "_Partying_ is it?"

"Minx," he enjoyed the blush that spread across her cheeks with his tease. "That wasn't what we meant when we talked about partying I'm sure."

"Oh?" Gabriella straightened, taking the blanket with her as she buckled herself into the center seat. "You had something else in mind?"

"I was thinking a cake with some candles, a few balloons and a song or two." Buckling himself in, he shot her a wry look. "This... was _not _on the list of activities."

Sliding her arms around his as he started his truck, she placed her head against his shoulder. "Maybe it should have been."

"Are you still thinking I'm your present?"

"Of course," she laughed. "The best kind."

"And what kind is that?"

"A toy I can unwrap and play with over and over and over again - and not break."

Troy slanted her a sexy grin, ducking his head to catch her lips with his before he pulled out into traffic. "If you're not careful, you just might. Think you can behave for the next twenty minutes?"

"Can I misbehave later?"

He caught his breath sharply and there was no mistaking the slightly impish tilt of her lips. "Can I have my shirt back?"

"After midnight."

"How about we just focus on dinner for now and let whatever else happens tonight happen?"

Gabriella was content to let it stand at that as he pulled back into traffic. Behaving, she contended herself with resting her head against his shoulder as he drove and watching the street lights. Troy's shifting hand lay comfortably on her knee when he didn't need it, squeezing it occasionally - and she'd glance up to find him smiling.

They stopped at Troy's apartment once they returned to Palo Alto - briefly - so he could shower and change his jeans before walking the distance to her mother's house. Gabriella still refused to give him his other shirt, but had relented and allowed him to don his boxers and a muscle shirt that was almost as good as no shirt at all. The chain on which his ring hung wouldn't fit comfortably under it, so it lay easily against it for everyone to see.

As it was, they drew looks as they walked the streets and low wolf whistles from passing cars made them both glance - and Troy blush. The women inside could be heard yelling things about 'jealous' and 'being a keeper' as they drove off, making Gabriella laugh after the third one. "They have a point you know. I do intend to keep you."

"Good." He slung his arm around her waist and pulled her close, "because I don't intend to go anywhere."

Troy ushered her up the walk, plucking the key from her hand as he did and unlocked the door for her. "Do you want to get changed before we do dinner?"

"You have something special planned, Wildcat?"

"Nothing like breakfast," he told her honestly. "Just something small - you and me and a picnic around my coffee table; any objections?"

"Mm, sounds heavenly." She leaned up to kiss him, grazing his cheek with her lips.

The house was silent, deserted - but it wouldn't last. Her mother was only working a half shift and would be back shortly after midnight. And Gabriella had no intention of having mom come home early to interrupt... whatever would happen. Leading Troy up the stairs, she stopped on the top one and turned to find herself eye to eye with him. The smile that curved his lips when she leaned in to steal another kiss was adorable.

"If I order you to let me stay the night, does that expire at midnight too?"

"Only if you want it to."

"Wait here - I'll grab a couple of things I'm going to need."

Troy let her go and sank down to the top step, rubbing his hands over his face before dropping them to dangle between his knees. The tension between them had snapped with their little exploration in the car, finding a release neither had expected - but both had craved - and leaving the night open to further exploration. With the urgency gone, it had been replaced by an air of anticipation; the night wasn't over yet. He could hear Gabriella rummaging around in her room, a soft tune drifting towards him, indistinct and unknown. She moved down the hallway behind him, ruffling his hair as she passed on her way to the washroom. A towel was over one arm and she winked at him sassily, stopping in the doorway.

"If I ordered you to dry me when I hop out of the shower-"

"I'd tell you to shower at my place."

She abruptly about-faced, not having expected that quick retort - but her eyes sparkled. "You'd actually do that for me?"

Laughing, he couldn't resist teasing her with the truth. "Even if it killed me."

"Sometimes, you really are too good to be true." Striding back his way, she dropped to one knee beside him, pressing close against his back so he could wrap her arms about his shoulders.

Troy wrapped his hands around her forearms and bent his head to drop a kiss on the exposed flesh. "Just grab what you need, Gabriella - we're practically moving you in next week anyway."

"I have a better idea." She grabbed his hand, pulling him to his feet, the idea of a shower forgotten for the moment. "Come on."

"You know what your mom said about having me in your room."

She cast a speaking glance over her shoulder as she dragged him into her room as if to ask what he was so shy about since she was moving into his. "You're going to pack for me."

Troy choked. "W-what?"

Her impish smile was back as she released his hand and crawled onto her bed, sitting cross legged. "You're my slave for the day, bound to do whatever I say; so pack what I'll need for the night."

"I _hope_ you're joking."

"Do I _look_ like I'm joking?" Her haughty tone was back and she lifted her hand imperiously, twisting her wrist to indicate he was to begin. "You can start with the top drawer."

She wasn't joking. The things he did for his girl. He was tempted just to throw her over his shoulder and carry her back to his place without packing anything - if need be she could always wear his clothes. The look she was giving him, however, was challenging. Gabriella didn't think he'd do it.

"Do you have a bag?"

"It's under the bed."

Troy crossed the room and dropped down to one knee beside the bed. Her eyes sparkled as she watched him, stretching out on the surface and propping her head up on her hand. Bending down, Troy pulled an empty duffle bag from underneath the box spring and held it up questioningly. She nodded once, slightly, and he turned back to her dresser.

What would Gabriella need for the night? They normally slept in their clothes, but he doubted she wanted to stay in the same suit she'd been wearing all day. He debated asking where she kept her night wear, but decided against it. She'd been sleeping in one of his shirts and little else - those he had plenty of back at his place. Pulling open the top drawer, he almost groaned.

She was doing this deliberately.

"Do you have a color preference?"

"Black," she told him cheekily. "Or red."

Black or red. Yup, she _was_ doing this deliberately. Taking a deep breath, he plunged his hand into the messy underwear drawer, quickly pulling out a red bra and matching bottoms which went into the bag. Ignoring Gabriella's muffled laugh behind him, Troy pulled out a second set, this one black, and put that in the bag, knowing his neck and face were probably the color of his old Wildcat uniform.

Shutting the drawer, he opened the next one, finding several pairs of folded tights and pants. He closed it; she wouldn't be wearing those. The last drawer was shirts. He selected a red tank top and a black, lacy half-top to go over top. Closing the drawer after placing them in the bag, he turned to meet her gaze, knowing she was getting a kick out of this.

"Would you rather have pants or a skirt?"

"Skirt," she told him promptly. "They're in the closet."

Of course they were.

Troy waited to see if she intended to end this, but Gabriella waved him onward. With a suffering sigh, he turned to the closet and opened it. The organized rows of blouses, pants, skirts and dresses was meager - Gabriella didn't have nearly as many clothes as some girls did - but they were all things he knew looked awesome on her. A black skirt caught his eye, the pleated folds a nice contrast to the lace over-top. Sweeping the skirt from the hanger, he placed it in the bag along with everything else before closing the closet door and holding the bag out to her.

"Do I get to use your toothbrush?" she slid forward off the bed. "Or did you grab mine when I blinked?"

"Or you could just use the one you use at my place." He looked at her pointedly, letting her know that he knew she was doing this on purpose. "Of course, I don't know which brush is yours so you might end up with your mom's."

"You make a good point." She conceded laughing. "I _do_ have a duplicate set of just about everything at your place."

"Except clothes." He agreed, zipping the bag shut. "Anything else you need tonight?"

"You." Stepping closer, she slid one hand up his chest, her eyes locking with his. "Just you."

They didn't speak after that, Gabriella locking the door behind them as they headed back to his place. It was an uneventful walk that passed quickly, and before either of them thought to break the silence, they were stepping into his apartment and Troy was securing the door behind them. Apprehension made her stomach suddenly swim with butterflies and twist almost painfully. Troy wrapped his arms about her from behind, pulling her flush against his chest.

"Nervous?"

Letting out a shaky breath, she nodded.

Brushing his lips across her cheek, he squeezed her tightly. "Nothing's going to happen if you don't want it to, Gabriella."

"What about if you want it to?"

"Nothing's going to happen _we_ don't want to - better?"

The teasing note in his voice helped her relax. "Since I can't be in this relationship by myself - yes."

Troy let her go, drawing her over to the couch. "Are you hungry?"

"I don't know if I can eat anything."

She sat as he did - and Troy reclined, pulling her across his chest. It was reminiscent of their pose in the truck, except he kept his touch soothing as he ran one hand down her back and let the other toy with the ends of her hair. Tucking her head into the curve of his shoulder, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You might feel better if you had a hot shower. There's bound to be sand stuck somewhere in that suit of yours."

Laughing, she tilted her head to his. "How do you always know what to say to make me laugh?"

"It's a gift." He kissed the tip of her nose. "A lot has happened today, but that doesn't mean we have to push this further because of it."

"How about I take that shower and decide then?"

Troy smiled and helped her to her feet. "I'll find you a towel and something to wear for bed - since you seem to prefer my wardrobe to your own."

"The shirt you wore to the beach would work."

"Something _not_ white." Giving her a gentle nudge towards the bathroom, he urged her on. "Go ahead; I'm not going anywhere."

She went without protest, leaving Troy to gather his wits and set up for dinner. Once he heard the shower running, he did as he said he would and collected a pair of short - with a pull tie string - and an old red t-shirt. Careful not to peak, he slipped them into the washroom and placed them on the counter. Her bag and a couple of towels went with them so she could use whatever she needed, and then he retired to the kitchen.

Macaroni & cheese and various fruits - including the chocolate covered strawberries that were _always_ included in their picnics - were set out on the coffee table as the water shut off almost thirty minutes later. He could hear Gabriella rummaging around as she dried herself off - and a sudden cry of dismayed disbelief brought him to his feet.

"Gabriella?" Striding to the bathroom door, he knocked. "Are you okay?"

"This isn't happening!"

Troy frowned; she sounded so frustrated and defeated - he tried again. "Gabriella - what's wrong?"

"Everything," he swore she sounded like she was about to cry. "Even mother nature's against me."

Confident she wasn't in any _actual_ danger, Troy leaned against the wall, crossing his ankles as he tilted his head back towards the ceiling. Talking through the bathroom door - not exactly the conversation he'd envisioned. "How is mother nature against you?" And as the words left his lips, suspicion bloomed and he closed his eyes. "Or is it... umm... is it what I think it is?"

Gabriella could be heard opening the cupboard under his sink and Troy exhaled, his suspicion confirmed. There was only _one_ reason she'd need any of the supplies she kept there. They really _did_ have the worst luck. "Gabriella?"

"I'll be out in a minute."

Dismissed, Troy headed back for the couch and sat, stretching his legs out before him as he tilted his head against the back of it to stare once against at the stucco of his ceiling. The sound of the toilet flushing and then the washroom door opening a moment later had him turning his head to look at his girlfriend - his very dejected looking girlfriend. She looked adorable, but disheartened, floating in one of his old wildcat t-shirts and his shorts. Sitting up straight, he held his hand out to her in wordless invitation.

She didn't move. "Maybe I should just go home." Shaking his head, he twitched his fingers encouragingly – and she reluctantly came closer. "Are you sure you want me nearby?"

"No matter what time of the month," he assured her, letting her know he understood. "It's not the end of the world."

"It's not the ending I wanted for tonight."

It wasn't the ending either of them has expected for that night, but Troy was suddenly glad for it. They both needed time to acclimate to the change in the physical side of their relationship – and this would give them that time. Plus, they could still explore one another to a degree, and that wasn't a bad thing. Gabriella claimed his hand, clutching it tightly, and Troy drew her back into his embrace. Reaching to the table, he retrieved a chocolate covered strawberry before holding it up before her eyes.

"What's a picnic-"

"-without chocolate covered strawberries." She leaned against him with a pained sigh. "I'm sorry, Troy."

"For what?"

"Being two days early."

"It's not like you can control it." He touched the chocolate tip of the strawberry to her lips. "There's a bright side to this you know."

Accepting the tasty morsel, she chewed and swallowed before responding. "And that would be?"

"I'm still your slave until midnight and can pamper you."

"True."

"And you can use your mom's present sooner than you thought." His lips kicked into a teasing smile as he finished off the last part of the berry. "Maybe your mom knew something you didn't."

Staring at him for a long minute, her lips parted in surprise, she suddenly burst into laughter and threw herself forcefully against him, knocking them both back on the couch with the force of her hug. They settled onto the couch like that, Troy shifting only to stretch out with her tucked close to his side against the back, their smiles echoes of one another. It was like a pressure valve had been released and the tension that had climbed while they were walking back to his place, cut. It had been replaced by contentment and acceptance, the knowledge that nothing _could_ happen calming and comforting all at the same time.

"I love you."

The words slipped out, softly spoken against her temple as she cuddled close. Her lips curved. "I know, Wildcat. I love you too."


	22. One Down, Six to Go

_One Down, Six To Go– December 15__th_

Waking the morning following Gabriella's birthday just minutes before the alarm, Troy glanced at the numbers and groaned softly before his head hit the pillow again. Six fifty eight. Gabriella, still sleeping, lay curled against him, her head tucked into the curve of his shoulder. A faint smile crossed his lips as he brushed them across her forehead. His arm lay around her waist, tucked around her back. Her legs were entwined with his, and her breath feathered across the skin of his naked chest.

She'd insisted, once she'd recovered from her embarrassment, he lose his shirt again and he hadn't had the heart to protest. It had been enough to make her smile and that alone had been worth it. Gently easing his arm out from under her head, he smiled as she shifted, making a soft noise of protest. Brushing her hair back from her face, he was careful not to wake her and slipped from the bed.

Turning off the alarm with a flick of his wrist, he turned to tuck the covers back in around her. No matter how much he wanted to stay there with her, curled up in the warmth of his bed, he couldn't. He had to work. She stretched one hand out, searching for him in her sleepy state, a frown crossing her lips. Troy made to leave, but caught her eyes starting to open when she didn't find him. Unable to resist, he settled back on the bed and pressed his lips to her forehead as he cupped her face. "Go back to sleep."

"You too."

"I can't; I have to work."

She protested by sliding an arm about his and curling close as she kept it prisoner. "Mm, no."

With a soft chuckle, he kissed her softly and tried to pull back. She had him fast, rolling with his arm held prisoner, his hand cradled by hers and pressed tightly against her chest. His fingers flexed as her thumbs dug into the tendons at his wrist. "Gabriella, I'm going to need my hand back."

Her response was to curl around it, a faint smile on her lips with a sound to the negative. Troy tugged gently, using his thumb to brush across the swell of the breast she had him cupping as he leaned over her. Hugging her, he eased his hand away as she curled towards him. Resisting the urge to snuggle back up with her as she reluctantly let him go, he shifted away. He kissed her a third time, and she leaned into the brush of his lips. "Call me if you need anything, okay?"

With an adorable pout, she hugged his pillow and curled around it. "'Kay."

Standing, Troy collected his jeans and a t-shirt from where they'd been thrown the day before. If he was going to be filthy by the end of his shift at the garage, he didn't see a point in wearing clean clothes – other than new socks and boxers. Leaving the bedroom, he closed the door behind him and headed for the shower.

Showered, shaved and dressed twenty minutes later, Troy rubbed the towel over his head and dropped it back on the rack before tossing his head to the side and running one hand over it to flatten the loose strands. Brushing his teeth took another few minutes – and, once finished, he dropped to one knee to check beneath the sink. Gabriella's 'supplies' were next to the toilet paper and he exhaled a soft breath in relief, seeing that the necessities for the next few days were in abundant supply. He'd never gone to the store for her, but he was sure that wouldn't last. Today, thankfully, wouldn't be that day.

Rising to his feet, he pulled on the button down he'd left on the back of the bathroom door and exited into the main area.

The bedroom door was still closed and he peaked in, smiling when he saw she hadn't moved. Gabriella was still wrapped firmly about his pillow, her face tucked into it the way it had been tucked against his shoulder. Closing the door, he headed for the kitchen and collected some of the leftovers from their impromptu picnic. None of the strawberries were left – he'd had to tease her to east just those – but there was enough to make his lunch. Throwing it into his backpack, he grabbed his truck keys. With a last glance around, he found himself wishing he'd not agreed to take some shifts for the next few of days and could instead spend them with her. Friday he had off to help Gabriella move in – a way to take the pressure off her mom for when Ms. Montez had to pack up – but until then he needed the money.

Still, there was something to be said for the chance to stay home and wake up later with her in his arms again.

He stopped in the living room of the small one bedroom apartment, his eyes falling on the stack of notebooks he'd left in one corner. With decisive steps, he crossed the room and opened one, pulling a pen from another before scribbling a quick note. Leaving the book open, he placed it on the coffee table and headed out.

----------

It was a couple hours later when Gabriella woke to the semi-dark room on her own with severe cramping. She curled into a ball of agonized pain, waiting for the cramps to ease enough for her to move. It took several minutes before she was able to leave the bed – and took in the fact she was alone. The fact Troy wasn't there was a little disconcerting – she didn't remember him getting up – but was overruled by her body's demands.

Thirty minutes, two midol and a shower later, Gabriella emerged from the washroom feeling better.

"Troy?"

The apartment was silent, no hint of where her boyfriend had gone. Stepping out into the main room, she approached the coffee table as she spied one of his notebooks atop it. Reaching down she picked it up – and a smile curved her lips.

_Good morning beautiful,_

_I hated to leave you, but I had to get to work; I'll be back by 5:30. There are still leftovers from last night in the fridge if you're hungry._

_Call if you need me; I'll call on my lunch break._

_Love_

_- T_

Work. Right. She'd forgotten today was Monday – and her last final was Thursday. Replacing the notebook on the table, she entered the kitchen. The dishes from the night before were dry in the dish rack – Troy didn't have a dishwasher – and she took a moment to put them away. Troy was working all week from eight to five, leaving her to her own devices for most of the week. Unlike him, she'd foregone taking some shifts at the campus bookstore during the holidays - she needed the time to relax.

Fixing herself a plate of the left over fruits, Gabriella curled up on the couch with Troy's laptop. Booting it up, she nibbled on a piece of orange as she powered up the wireless and opened the internet browser.

Googling "alliance ring" she swallowed, hitting the enter key, and then her eyebrows rose as she took in the first link.

_Alliance Ring - a classic diamond wedding band - 14 Feb 2007 ... Meant to be worn on the fourth finger of your left hand, this Alliance Ring will definitely tap the vena amoris, or "love vein' that traveles directly to the heart_

The next couple of pages were useless, applying to web rings of some kind and books with references to rings that had nothing to do with the band on her finger. Rotating it absently, she took note of the next couple of links.

_Ring Ring - Alliance Jewels Watchbox Knokke Antwerp - ALLIANCE RING WITH DIAMONDS 2.560 € retail price sold, Ring - Alliance ... GOLDEN ALLIANCE RING Ca. 3.200 € retail price 1350 €, Ring - Alliance ..._

_alliance ring review at Kaboodle - Kaboodle - alliance ring review and product info . Learn more about alliance ring, learn other people's perspectives, compare prices, and find out where to..._

Clicking on the three links only brought more questions than answers. Each one revealed the ring in question to be a single band, usually encased in diamonds and _always_ a wedding band. Nothing, in the pages that followed, revealed anything helpful.

Chewing her bottom lip, she considered her search – and refined it as she popped another piece of fruit into her mouth. Typing in _'alliance ring' jewelry_ she tried again. And three links down found what she was looking for.

_Antique Jewelry, Estate jewelry and Vintage jewelry - __Welcome to our extensive antique jewelry glossary with around 1500 jewelry related entries __...__ Alliance ring (eternity ring or eternity band). _

Clicking on the link, she read it silently, mouthing the words as she did.

_**Alliance ring (eternity ring or eternity band) **_

_A type of finger ring in the form of a circular band set with a continuous row of gemstones (usually diamonds) of the same size and cut. _

_It is a type of modem wedding ring set with encircling gemstones. When the gemstones extend only on half of the shank, it is called a 'half--eternity ring'. The stones are secured in a channel setting or in adjacent single-stone collet settings. _

_Modern examples are usually made of platinum, and sometimes depart from the traditional form by having two or three adjacent rows of stones, each row of different coloured gemstones, and sometimes having the two outer rows extend only halfway around the hoop. _

_The history of the eternity ring extends back into antiquity, an example being known from Ur 4,000 years ago. In the Elizabethan period some examples were made in the form of an encircling snake swallowing its tail. _

Looking down at the band on her finger, Gabriella slid her finger along the smooth surface with a thoughtful expression. Alliance ring, another word for wedding band – except nothing she'd found said anything about interlocking rings. Trust Troy to take the word of an antique dealer instead of looking it up himself. Of course, if he _had_ looked up 'alliance rings' he likely wouldn't have found the same thing. Troy, as sweet and smart as he was, wasn't exactly computer savvy.

Changing her search criteria, she looked for anything to do with matched bands or rings that were part of a set and over the course of the next hour, polished off her breakfast as she found many, many references on matched bridals sets, but nothing on anything remotely like what Troy had given her.

After two hours of searching, Gabriella was forced to come to the conclusion that the set Troy had found, while old, had likely been refurnished from its original design. The band was smooth, polished and had been professionally done – though it was possible Troy was in possession of the band that had once been an engagement ring.

Gabriella set the laptop aside and removed the ring on her finger to examine it for a moment. She traced the engraving of his name inside the ring and then, decisively, she slid it onto the ring finger of her left hand. According to the first link she'd found, it was the right place for it and the finger it was supposed to be worn on anyway; the finger with the vein leading to the heart. It was appropriate, regardless of the unofficial nature in which it had been given, that such a gift be used correctly.

Smiling, she turned back to his laptop and closed her search. After a couple of hours of searching, she'd found everything she was going to find on the topic of alliance rings – and anything remotely helpful, she'd read. Reaching for her note book, she crawled over the side of the couch to grab it just as her cell phone rang. The ring tone told her immediately who it was and she scrambled back towards where she'd left her bag in the bed room. Snatching it up on the third ring, she answered it.

"Hey!"

"_How'd you sleep?_"

"Like a baby," she told him grinning as she walked back into the living room. "I didn't hear the alarm this morning."

"_I shut it off before it woke you,_" Troy explained. "_You were finally sleeping peacefully; I couldn't bear the thought of waking you."_

"You should have, I would have liked to see you off to work." Settling back on the couch, she cradled the phone against her head. "How're things at the shop?"

"_Quieter than the boss expected – but busier than the rest of us thought it would be._"

"Does that mean you're going to be later than you thought?"

"_No way._" He sounded so certain, she laughed softly. "_I want to spend as much time as I can with you so I told my boss no overtime._"

"Even if you can use the cash?"

"_We'll manage. With my new roommate taking over half of the rent for January, it means funds won't be quite so tight._" His tone was teasing and then became solicitous. "_How're you feeling?_"

"Better," she admitted. "The midol helps, but I'll need to go get more– there's only a couple left in the bottle."

"_I can_ _pick it up on my way home._"

"You don't have to do that, Troy."

"_I don't mind. It's easier than picking up anything else you have under the sink._"

Gabriella laughed, picturing Troy in the drug store buying her monthly necessities. "You'd look so cute holding that little pink package – it would match your blush."

"_Sure, laugh it up._" Troy replied dryly. "_Are you sure you're doing better?_"

"I'm sure."

"_Okay, good. Should I pick up anything else on my way home tonight?_"

"Dinner?"

"_Anything in particular?_"

"Not really," twirling the ring on her finger, she glanced at the clock. "How much longer is your lunch break?"

"_A few minutes; we had a meeting for the first half of it, so I only get ten today._"

Ouch. She'd just have to bring up the rings later. "Oh, okay. I'll be here when you get home."

"_I'm looking forward to it._" There was the sound of someone in the background calling his name and he groaned. "_I've gotta run. Love you._"

"You too Wildcat."

The line went dead and she shook her head tolerantly; no matter what he was doing, Troy was always in great demand. He was sweet to offer to get her the pain killers that made this situation bearable, but she couldn't help but feel guilty about it. After what had happened the night before, she was sure he felt led on, except Troy didn't act like it. Instead he was the perfect gentleman – like always – who didn't pressure her or make her feel bad about it. It was almost as if he _didn't_ want her; except she knew better now. There was no doubt in her mind at all about him wanting her anymore.

Reaching for her books, she pulled out her notebooks with the information she needed to study for her final. Academics came easy and while reading her notes was just like reenergizing her memory, she never put off studying if she could help it. Relying on her memory through so many courses was tricky and she didn't dare gamble her grade point average on it.

Her phone rang again, the standard beep for a text message and she scooped it back up.

_Will you be home for dinner?_

It was from her mother.

_Staying at Troy's. All my study material is here._

Texting back that she was staying at Troy's so she could study for her exam, she knew her mother understood when another note came back.

_See you Thursday after your exam; I'll be in Seattle until early that morning. Dinner on me, bring Troy._

Gabriella smiled sadly, shaking her head. Her mother's job kept her busy and moving, the way she liked it, but thankfully she'd be around for the holidays even if it meant she was going to be packing for most of it.

_Thursday for dinner we'll be there. _

_Love you Gabi. Be careful._

Checking the clock, Gabriella rose to her feet and headed for the door. She had a couple of hours and if her mom was going out of town for a couple of days, she wouldn't see her much. Studying could wait.

-----------

After having spent a good portion of the afternoon with her mother, Gabriella returned to Troy's around five and threw herself into the studying she was _supposed_ to have been doing earlier. The reprieve, a chance to spend some quality time with her mother, did much to improve her spirits even if it had left her a touch embarrassed.

Her mother had let her know that she was scheduled to see the doctor on Friday morning for her annual checkup – just in time for her to stop bleeding. Somehow, her mother's timing was impeccable and while it was disconcerting to think her mother had ulterior motives, Gabriella knew she was just doing what she always did. Her physicals were always in December – the fact she was getting more physical with Troy was just coincidence.

Immersed in her notes, the sound of the lock turning shortly before five thirty brought her head up and Troy stepped through the portal a minute later. The moment he saw her, a smile creased his face and his eyes sparkled. "Honey, I'm home."

Gabriella laughed, remembering when she'd said those very words months ago in just the same teasing tone. "And I see you brought home the bacon."

"Figuratively speaking." Troy lifted the bags in his hand with a wink. "It's Italian."

Putting her book to the side, she rose to her feet and took the bags from him as he stepped out of his shoes. He was filthy, again, just like he always was when he came home from the garage – except this time he'd washed his hands and his face before coming home. A testament, she supposed, to the fact he knew she was going to be there. Using it to his advantage, he cupped her face and pressed a soft kiss to her lips the moment her hands were full.

It wasn't fair.

Troy pulled away with a little smile. "That's the kiss I wanted this morning before I left."

"Mm, then you should have woken me up." Turning, she headed for the kitchen. "Are you going to shower before we eat?"

"I think I better or I risk contaminating dinner." His tone was apologetic as he crossed the carpet behind her. As she stopped, he brushed aside her hair from her neck and dropped a soft kiss on the nape. "I missed you today."

"You miss me every day." She turned with a smile and wrinkled her nose. "You smell like oil and grease."

"I can take a hint." He teasingly kissed the tip of her nose. "Do you need...?"

"I'm _fine_, Troy. Go, I'll serve up dinner."

"Okay, okay," he reached into the pocket of his shirt and pulled out a small paper bag. "Before I forget; these are yours."

Opening it, she looked up as the washroom door closed and he did as she asked. He'd bought her midol. Laughing, she set about pulling out the

Dinner was quiet, Troy telling her a little about his day as she spoke about spending a good deal of hers with her mother.

Gabriella took the opportunity during desert to read over her notes and Troy capitalized on the opportunity to steal them – before quizzing her on the various aspects. She sat curled on one end of the couch, plate and fork in hand, as Troy sipped from a glass of water on the other end, her notebook firmly in his hand. He would read the note and formulate a question based on whatever she'd written.

The hours passed quickly, the comfortable atmosphere that was a staple of their relationship giving Troy the opportunity to tease her when she forgot a part of the law she was trying to quote – or praise her when she nailed them flawlessly. Gabriella teased him too, when he'd ask her a question with the answer in it and didn't realize it. As far as studying went, it was one of the more enjoyable evenings she'd ever spent doing so.

It was almost eight by the time he snapped the notebook shut. "You know this stuff."

"I'm getting there." Truthfully his help, given without thought of redress, had made remembering the information easier. "You make a tough quiz master."

"I learned from the best," he nudged her leg with his toes. "Are you staying with me again tonight or should I be getting you home soon?"

"Mom's out of town until Thursday morning," Gabriella placed her plate and fork on the table. "Any objections to having a house guest for the duration?"

Troy looked at her as if she'd lost her mind. "You're moving in on Friday – why would having you here a few days early bother me?"

"Because you want to enjoy your last vestiges of freedom?"

"Ha!" Stretching across the couch, he pinned her to the arm with a soft half smile. "I gave up my freedom the day I became we - and not once have I regretted its loss. I never will."

"You can't know that."

"This... what's between you and I, is special. More special than either of us knew when we first met. There's no other woman in the world I would have come after, Gabriella. Not one. No movie star, no relative – no one. I would never have given you this ring-" He lifted her right hand and stopped, his brows drawing together in surprise when he saw her bare fingers.

Before he could ask, she lifted her left hand shyly. "It felt wrong to have it on my right hand when the heart vein runs through the left."

"Gabriella..."

"I wanted to have it as close to my heart," she shifted closer, covering his ring with her left hand, "just like you have mine close to yours."

He looked stunned, and humbled by her logic. "But... I didn't... I..."

"You did," she corrected, brushed her lips across his. "And someday you'll ask me again. Just promise me something."

Swallowing, he nodded and found his voice. "Anything."

Hooking one finger under the chain around his neck, she tugged it free of his shirt. "When you do, and we say our vows, this ring is my wedding band."

Serious azure eyes bore down into hers for a long moment. Then slowly, he shifted his grip to her left hand and lifted it, pressing his lips solemnly on her knuckles over the ring. He shook his head, a faint smile on his lips. "I can't promise that, but I do promise this; the day we take that step, I'll ask you again and if that's what you still want, that's how it will be."

-----

**Author's Note:** The alliance ring definition here is very close to the definition I was originally given – except it's actually a part of a set. I didn't include the links, but I did take the information directly off the google search results for 'authenticity' and whatever Gabriella researched, is what I looked for myself.

The "alliance ring" pair would better be known as a "bridal set". In some cultures, the groom also wore an engagement ring and during the wedding ceremony the wedding band was locked together and later fused with the engagement band to create one ring. On the inside, it was not uncommon for one band to be engraved with the date of the wedding and the initials or names of the bride and groom.

In Troy's case, he bought the rings from an antique dealer who didn't understand what they were and gave him the wrong information. Gabriella, as most of you have probably guessed, has determined that the set is refurbished and re-done, leaving out the precious and semi-precious stones that normally grace one half of the set – the engagement ring.

And no, before you ask , I don't intend to be doing every day of the coming week – but we'll see if the muse says otherwise.


	23. Two Down, Five to Go

**Author's Note:** Again, rewrote this a couple of times and am only quasi happy with this, but it fits what little plot line I've got for this rabid bunny... so enjoy.

_Two Down, Five to Go- December 16__th_

_Late Night_

"Troy?"

He grunted softly, shifting in his sleep.

Gabriella tried again, pushing up on her elbow to see his face and gently shaking his shoulder, "Troy?"

Rolling away, he turned on his side and presented her with his back. Arching her eyebrows, Gabriella pressed against the naked flesh of his back and slid her hand along his side, curving it around towards his belly. His whole body tensed, much as it had in the truck, and she knew firsthand the kind of reaction he'd be feeling. Except, at the moment he was asleep. Pressing her lips to his shoulder, she tried once more.

"Troy?"

"Hmm?"

"Troy, wake up."

With a groan, he rolled back towards her, and she saw the gleam of his eyes as they opened to darkness, reflecting the faint light coming in through the cracks in the curtains. "Yeah?"

He sounded so sleepy, she _almost _felt bad for waking him. "You're hogging all the covers."

"Ugh," he threw one arm over his eyes. "So take em."

"I can't; you're lying on them."

Troy kicked his legs half heartedly - and discovered what she meant. His legs were tangled almost to immobility in the sheets. Gabriella shivered at his side, using him for warmth and he sighed, removing the arm from his eyes and lying still for a brief moment. She thought he'd fallen back asleep until his arms flexed and he pushed himself into a sitting position. With clumsy, half disjointed movements, he tried to free himself.

Already awake and more than a little chilled - his long t-shirt didn't do much to cover her legs - Gabriella shifted and moved to help him. Troy had, somehow, knotted one of the sheets around one ankle and they worked together to get it free. Eventually, the tight fabric loosened, falling free and Troy flopped back onto the bed.

Gabriella giggled softly as she spread the sheet out evenly once more. "That's quite the trick, Wildcat."

"I can do it in my sleep," he quipped, his eyes firmly shut - except he sounded more awake than he'd been. "Are you warm enough?"

"Getting there."

A shiver raced through her as she settled once more beside him and Troy rolled onto his side, tucking her close against him as he wrapped an arm about her middle. Her backside was seated snugly against his crotch, his bare chest rubbing the back of the shirt she wore to bed. His bare legs touched hers and he made a soft sound of disbelief as he covered her feet with his. "How is it your feet are so cold?"

"A consequence of bleeding for seven days," she returned as he tucked his face next to her shoulder. "And having a bedmate who steals all the covers and hoards them like a miser."

"Miser!" Troy's head came up at the insult. "You'd hoard them too if you were sharing your bed with a limpet."

"Ah!" She gasped, making to roll - but Troy wouldn't let her go, his hand splayed across her hip closest to the bed and keeping her pinned in place. The t-shirt she wore had ridden up and his finger tips brushed the skin of her upper thigh. "I wouldn't have to be a limpet if you would share."

"Mmm hmm," he nuzzled her neck. "Maybe I _like _sharing my bed with a limpet."

"Do you even know what a limpet is, Troy?"

" It's a marine creature that latches onto rocks and won't let go." He squeezed her with a grin. "Just like you do to me when I sleep."

"Are you objecting?"

"Never." His lips brushed the back of her neck and she curled forward. Troy curled with her, his lips sliding down the column of her throat to the edge of her shirt. "I likehaving you sleep with me."

"Even if I am a limpet?"

"Mmm," he smiled against the fabric as he tugged on the collar teasingly with his teeth. "_My _limpet"

"Careful what you wish for, Wildcat." Gabriella shifted, her legs rubbing together and then stopped as she realized the movement was only shifting the hem of the shirt she wore higher, exposing more of her leg to Troy's touch. His fingers moved as she stilled, gently stroking the soft skin as if trying to sooth her. "Go back to sleep Troy; you have to work in five hours."

"I'd love to... but I'm awake now."

"In more ways than one." The darkness gave her courage as the words slipped out, and she could feel him stiffen, the ridge in his shorts pressing intimately against her backside. Turning her head, she smiled even though he couldn't see it. "I didn't mean to keep you up."

He choked on a laugh. "No, it's just a talent you have. Go to sleep, Gabriella."

She opened her mouth to respond when a severe cramp caught her completely unawares, rippling through her lower belly with the intensity of a blazing fire. With a soft cry, she curled into the fetal position about his arm and squeezed her eyes shut.

Troy was up on his free elbow in a heartbeat. "Gabriella?"

Whimpering, she couldn't answer - but Troy didn't pull away as she expected him to. Instead he sat up; using the arm she had trapped as leverage to get her onto his lap. He held her as the pain subsided, rocking back and forth in an instinctive comforting motion as his free hand caressed her hair, her shoulder and upper arm. It was only when her grip began to ease that he shifted again, reaching for the night table and the painkillers he'd placed in the drawer.

Gabriella stayed where she was when a soft light flared to life beyond her eyelids and the bottle of water Troy kept with her painkillers was pressed into her hand. Two small pills were pressed into the other, and her eyes opened.

"Here."

"Thanks," she managed a wan smile; flinching as another - this time minor cramp - caught her. The pills went down easily and Troy took back the water, rubbing her lower bank in a show of silent sympathy. He hated to see her in pain, especially when there was little he could do.

"Anytime. Can I get you anything else?"

"Hold me?"

His arms tightened about her automatically. Leaning into his chest, she tucked her head into the crook of his shoulder. The hand about her waist stroked slowly circles low on her belly, as if to soothe the churning within - yet had a different effect. His left hand lay on her right hip, holding her in place and his knees had bent slightly under the covers for both his comfort and hers. Troy seemed completely focused on her as her right hand touched the bare bicep of his left arm - and clung.

Pressing his lips into her hair, he held her for a few minutes, cradling her in the shelter of his body and seemingly completely unaware of the fact his soft caresses through her shirt weren't just soothing. They lent a distraction as the Midol kicked in, giving her something else to focus on and she blushed, hunching forward a little when she felt her nipples harden, a quick glance downwards showing they were peaked against her shirt.

Not unlike Troy's dilemma, she supposed, just not _quite_ as obvious as the ridge against her thigh. Gabriella lifted one hand to adjust the neckline of her shift and tug a little, allowing some air between fabric and skin.

"Hot?"

Her blush deepened. "Not in the way you think."

"You were freezing a minute ago."

"I wasn't being held in your lap like this a minute ago."

Troy's hand stilled and she glanced up to find him watching her. He kissed the corner of her mouth. "It's nice to know I'm not alone in that."

"The other night in the truck didn't give you enough proof?"

He smiled faintly. "We were both under a lot of pressure that night Gabriella. We'd been teasing each other all day, something had to give."

She shifted in his lap and arched her eyebrows at him. "We haven't been teasing each other now."

"No, but that's just the reaction my body likes to have around you." he kissed the other corner of her mouth this time. "And you're not exactly helping by moving around on my lap."

"Would... you rather I help out another way?"

Troy blinked. "W-what?"

"Nothing, forget it." She looked away, embarrassed, fiddling with the hem of her shirt and not realizing that every move gave Troy a glimpse of what she was - and wasn't - wearing underneath it. Nothing more than flashes really - but ones that added up to a rapid fire clip show in his mind before being sewn all together.

"I don't want to forget," he lifted the hand from her hip to tilt her chin up, his gaze serious as it met hers. "But I also don't want to make you feel anything like that _has_ to happen again - or anything more. I liked having you touch me. A lot."

"Really?"

"Really." His lips tilted. "As if you couldn't tell."

She giggled, her eyes dancing. "I didn't know if I was doing it right."

"I don't think there's a right or a wrong way," Troy told her honestly. "Just what feels right."

"Oh." Blushing, she mustered her courage as her cramps subsided further. "I liked the way you touched me too."

"Me too." his finger tips dropped from her chin now that she wasn't trying to look away, coming to rest on her upper arm, his thumb stroking the inside of his gently, and brushing against the side of her breast. "I just wish it hadn't all happened so fast."

"What do you mean?"

Troy sighed, adjusting how she sat on his lap as he eased down a little in the bed. He seemed reluctant to give her up, and she was fairly reluctant to go anywhere. "I mean, I wish we'd taken our time."

"You weren't in control any more than I was," Gabriella reminded him with a half smile. "There _was_ no time to take. If we'd been in control, it never would have happened."

Conceding the point with a brush of his lips against her forehead, he settled back, watching her. "I think it would have happened, just differently."

"Not in the front seat of your truck?" she couldn't keep the amusement from her voice. "Neither of us was in control by that point Troy. Looking back, I'm rather amazed you found the focus to drive."

"Me too." They shared a laugh as he hugged her. "Do you want to talk about this right now?"

"I think we need to, unless you'd rather wait until tonight when you get home from work."

Troy shook his head. "I'm awake right now, and the subject's in the open."

"True." Gabriella agreed with him - but silence fell as they stared at one another for a long minute. A minute that stretched into two before Troy cocked his head.

"Should I start?"

Her nod was all the encouragement he needed.

"I meant to make your birthday memorable," bending his head, Troy touched his lips to her neck. "But I never thought we'd go as far as we did. Our talk that morning got me thinking again, more than I already was and it made me aware that we're not just talking about taking a physical step. Physically, I know we're ready. Emotionally... I've never felt the way I feel about you for anyone. I want you; I want you every time we talk or I'm near you - to touch you, to kiss you, to make love to you. Touching you was unreal, like something out of a dream."

He paused, searching her features, but there was only open acceptance in her gaze. Brushing his thumb across the swell of her breast under the fabric of her shirt, he made her shiver, her eyes darkening as he continued.

"You know, I was glad when you said Mother Nature had decided to visit early?" He smiled and nodded faintly at her surprised expression. "I realize I'm probably no more ready for the next big step than you are, but a big part of me was terrified. Things were moving so fast, I felt like we... we _had_ to take that next step, you know? And then we couldn't and it was like releasing the pressure valve. Like the reprieve was just the thing we _should_ do because it's would give us a chance to catch our breath."

"Having you touch me..." he trailed off, searching for the words, his blood burning with the memory. Breaking eye contact, he tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling as he searched for the words. He'd _never_ felt like that before in his life - how did he explain something that he'd felt in every nerve ending, something that had felt so good it had practically made him see stars? "It was... was..."

"Electric." Gabriella finished his sentence. "I know, Troy. I felt it too."

His lips twitched, but he didn't look at her. "You couldn't have missed it."

"It _was_ rather obvious." her tease was gentle. "But then, so was I."

Troy closed his eyes. "I don't know what to think, Gabriella," he admitted softly. "I keep wondering if... if it felt that good to have _you_ touch _me_, how will it feel when _I_ can finally touch _you_ skin to skin... to make love to you - and then I feel guilty for thinking it."

"Why?" She touched his face, drawing it back down and waited until he opened his eyes. "Why do you feel guilty? It's a natural progression from where we've been and where we're going. We were never physical back at East High but here..."

"...we've had to be adults and all that entails," it was his turn to finish her sentence. "The freedoms and the responsibilities have already changed us - but I guess I feel a part of me is still back at East High, back where it was okay to want you but not act on it, you know? I couldn't get you out of my head before when we weren't doing anything but holding hands and exchanging kisses anymore than I can now. And now that it seems... right to act on what we're feeling that we're both technically adults, it's the fears that eat me."

"What fears Troy? Hurting me? You won't; you couldn't."

"I'll have to," he sounded miserable about it. "The first time will hurt no matter what I do. What happened in my truck feels like a bit of a fluke."

"You don't think it will always be that way when we touch like that?"

"I want to think so, I mean, just having you sitting on my lap in my t-shirt is a huge turn on, but what if it was just a product of too much sexual tension?"

"So we experiment," the color that was high in her cheeks didn't cause her gaze to waver. "We prove it wasn't a fluke."

"This isn't a school chemistry class."

"Would it help for you to think of it as one?"

"_Chemistry class_?" Troy stared at her - and then laughed. "Gabriella, I would never have _dreamed_ of doing anything like that in class."

She grinned and elbowed him with the arm trapped between them. "Maybe not, but I'm sure other guys did. You're just too sweet and innocent."

"I have a good reason to be." He turned serious. "If I hadn't waited for you, I would have regretted it for the rest of my life."

"Troy..."

Gabriella twined her arms around his neck, shifting in his lap so she was mostly off him and kneeling on the bed as she broke his hold. Pressing close, she ran one hand through his hair and kissed him sweetly. His arms went about her, pulling her close as he returned her kiss. It didn't last long before Gabriella pulled back, opening her eyes to smile at him. "You really are something else, Wildcat."

"Thanks." He nudged her nose with the tip of his. "So are you."

"So?"

"So what?"

"Are you up for a little experimentation?" She turned it into a teasing challenge despite the fact butterflies were swimming in her stomach. Fooling around with him in the darkness of his truck was one thing; here he'd be able to see her clearly.

"Now?"

"Why not? We're both awake."

"It's a little planned, isn't it?"

Gabriella pulled away, sitting back on her heels, well aware the shirt she was wearing rode high on her thighs; she didn't miss Troy's gaze as it dropped down her body - nor did she make a move to correct it. "Planned or not, we can't follow through anyway, so what's the harm?"

"Self torture?"

"You don't want to touch me?" Pushing his buttons, she made it all about her, knowing he'd respond.

He didn't disappoint. "Of _course _I want to touch you."

"Then what's holding you back, Troy?" She spread her arms wide, her lips tilting in an inviting and challenging smile. "I want you to touch me too."

"Are you sure?"

Nodding, she dropped her arms - and was immediately enveloped in his. Shivering as he brushed a kiss over the rapid pulse on her neck, she clutched his shoulders when he traced the line down across her collar bone. His hands remained where they were, much to her dismay, plastered across her back on top of her shirt. He wasn't the only one who remembered what it was like to be touched.

He caught her lips, kissing her almost chastely for a half second before his tongue coaxed hers to play. Easing down onto his back, he took her with him, never breaking the kiss as he left her splayed across his chest. Her shirt bunched, rising past her hips to twist about her waist, leaving her thighs to rub against his beyond the cuff of his boxers as she slid down his body. The feeling was foreign - she'd only ever been this close to him underwater - and the sensation of skin sliding against skin without _any_ obstruction was so sensual she moaned softly into his kiss.

Troy rolled slightly so she was on her back and threw one leg over hers, pinning her to the bed. Teasing her, he broke the kiss to trace the curve of her jaw with his lips. She responded to his touch and his kiss just as she had in the truck and on the beach, feeling the familiar knot at the base of her stomach blossom into life. It was like having sparks shot into her blood stream as the familiar heat wrapped her in its cocoon.

The press of his body stretched out partially across hers would likely have been frightening had he been anyone else - but this was Troy; and it didn't frighten her to be at his mercy - she relished it. Instead of pressing his advantage he teased her, nipping at her skin, tickling her with his breath and brushing whisper soft caresses over her face, neck and shoulders. She made to move her hands, but Troy grabbed her wrists in a gentle grip, pinning them to the bed on either side of her head.

Tossing her head, she mock glared at him. "Troy..."

He brushed his lips across hers, silencing her. "Is this what you wanted, Gabriella?"

The way he said it, coupled with the look in his intense eyes rendered her momentarily speechless. It was as if the raw power of his feelings for her were conveyed in that husky question and penetrating look. Unable to do more than nod, she didn't resist when he transferred both of her hands to one of his - and slid the free one down.

He started at her finger tips, caressing them gently with his own before, brushing them slowly across the outside of her hand. She felt the sensation clear to her toes as his fingers traveled down along the length of her little finger, shifting inward to caress the sensitive skin at her wrist. Her arm twitched as he continued on his course, slowly tracing the outside of her forearm in a faintly tickling sensation - until his lips followed his finger tips, starting at the same place. Faithfully, he traced the same path his fingers had taken until they reached the point of her arm, stopping only twice; once to pay homage to the tender skin at her wrist, the other to nip just by the joint of her elbow.

Gabriella lay still, her eyes half closed, as sensations swept through her.

Troy continued down her arm, barely feathering the sensitive skin with his lips and fingers tips. She jerked as he touched her face, tilting her head to the side - and felt him smile as he pressed a kiss below her now exposed ear. His lips trailed down her neck again, this time pausing to softly suck on her rapid heartbeat for a brief moment. Arching into the caress, she almost didn't feel his hand as it slid lower, gliding down over the outer curve of her breast towards her waist.

The feeling of his hand as it settled, skin against skin, just below the bunched fabric at her waist had her eyes falling closed as she twisted unconsciously to feel his touch more fully. Except he wasn't done with her yet - and his lips followed the same path his hand had just traveled. It drew her up off the bed again and into his mouth... and Troy moved the hand that had been on her hip, splaying his fingers wide across her back. His hips practically bracketed hers on the opposite side of her body and the firm pressure of his erection where it lay against her hip told her he was just as affected by their play as she was.

He didn't touch her fully though, instead chose to continue the game of cat and mouse as he trailed kisses as far to the side of her body as he could reach comfortably. She whimpered as his head continued downwards, feeling the press of it through the fabric of her shirt and not getting what she'd really craved. "_Troy_..."

But Troy wasn't done with her yet. His lips passed the barrier of her shirt, settling on the bare skin of her midriff and she gasped as he pressed a hot, open mouthed kiss against her skin. The hand supporting her bunched, his fingers collecting the material of her shirt as his mouth worked its way back up the trail it had followed - except that it was being bared centimeter by centimeter as he pulled her shirt into a ball between her shoulder blades. She made a soft sound of half protest, half frustration as his lips touched the sensitive skin just below the swell of her still covered breasts.

Troy stopped. Pressing his face to her flat belly, he nuzzled her navel as he eased her back to the bed. Her wrists were released - but he didn't move other than to brace his weight on his forearms, bracketing her body.

"Troy?"

His name was both a plea and a question. Why had he stopped - would he continue? The memory of his mouth on her - even through her shirt - in the truck was at the forefront of her mind and she found herself hoping he'd repeat the experience. Drawing her hands down, she ran her fingers through his hair - and he shuddered; it was that motion which warned her he was fighting for control.

Troy's hands clenched where they lay in the covers with every stroke of her fingers.

"Troy?"

"Give me a minute."

Gabriella did as he asked, the now familiar sexual tension taught between them. Troy took several deep breaths before lifting his head, his smile awed - and slightly sheepish. Tracing the backs of his fingers over her abdomen, he exhaled softly "You have... the softest, smoothest skin I have ever had the privilege to touch."

"You've done this a lot have you?" The tease slipped out before she could stop it, even though she knew better. Troy was hers and hers alone and they were discovering this new territory together.

Thankfully, he simply winked at her with a faint smile. "No, but I will be."

"One can hope," an answering smile crossed her lips. "Are you okay?"

Levering himself up, Troy rolled away to sit on the edge of the bed, ignoring the tangled covers that caught about his feet and ankles. His fingers tangled in the sheet, gripping them tightly. "I will be." He repeated the soft assurance, not looking at her.

Taking his cue, she straightened her shirt and sat up, glancing at the clock. It was still the middle of the night - and he had to work first thing this morning. Shifting uncomfortably, she glanced towards the door - and slid off the bed. "I'll be right back."

Troy watched her go, waiting until the bathroom door closed before falling back with a pained groan to stare at the ceiling. That had been a bad idea in a lot of ways. He could still taste the essence of her skin on his lips and flicked the tip of his tongue across them to try and sooth the tingle that had taken up residence. It didn't help - not when it was coupled with other recent memories. It didn't take a huge leap of imagination to combine the two and he suspected he'd be sleeping very little for the rest of the night.

Gabriella returned quietly, flicking off the light as she pushed him to the other side of the bed so she could curl into the warm spot he'd left behind. With the lights off, Troy drew her close again, except this time he braced his knee behind hers so their lower bodies were off center.

Tucked in cozily, Gabriella turned her head to press an apologetic kiss to his jaw. "I'm sorry, Troy. I didn't mean to make this more difficult."

"It's not your fault."

"It was my suggestion. If I'd known-"

"I would have done it anyway," he nuzzled her cheek and brushed his lips across it. "You're right, you know."

"About what?"

Snuggled against her, he tucked his head to her shoulder. "This being an opportunity - but it's also a test in control."

"It wasn't meant to be."

"Maybe not, but - if it's possible - I want you now more than before."

"It's possible," she assured him softly, covering his hands with her own as their fingers twined together. "More than possible."

The words lay between them, heavy with meaning - and more than a touch of promise. Troy exhaled on a softly agonized sound. "Go to sleep, Gabriella."

Obediently, she closed her eyes, knowing as she did this discussion was far from over. There was something to sort out here and they'd need to do it soon.


	24. Three Down, Four to Go

**Author's Note: **Well, I hadn't intended to do every day of the week for this particular week, but my Muse has other ideas and it stems from the original part I wrote that was supposed to be after the "Gabriella's Birthday" series. The Muse liked some of the references ideas so much, he insisted they be written! So.. yeah, enjoy; the next couple of days are chalked full of discoveries *grin*

_Three Down, Four to Go- December 17__th_

Troy left early that morning, unable to sleep just as he'd predicted, and spent a miserable day away from Gabriella. Lunch was a bust and he'd had time to simply send her a quick text before being rounded up for an emergency job. While he wasn't technically an apprentice mechanic, Troy's personally gained knowledge thanks to his truck had given him a small area of use aside from "the clean up guy" and he enjoyed when he was able to get his hands dirty honestly.

He broke a couple of hours early to hit the library and take _his_ last final of the semester. Taking the opportunity to use the locker room at school to shower and change, he found it quieter than it had been any other time of the year. His coach was around, setting up the roster for the next game and checking it versus schedules and who would be around. The downside to having students from all over was that through the holidays a lot of them went back home if they could and left him with a reduced roster.

Troy'd just returned from the shower, his towel riding low on his hips when the familiar voice stopped him.

"Bolton."

"Hey coach." Troy rubbed a towel over his head as he settled to the bench by his locker. "Working late?"

"Your father called me this morning."

Troy's head came up sharply; it wasn't the conversation starter he was expecting. "Good news I hope."

"He wanted to know if you'd be getting any court time next game."

Wincing, Troy ran the towel down across his chest, barely noticing as it caught on the chain and ring before dropping it to the side. "He watches to see me play. I guess he forgot I wouldn't be playing the last couple because of my theater commitment."

Coach Montgomery regarded Troy seriously. "The team needs you. You're a good player and a natural leader, but you don't do it in a way that steps on everyone's toes. You also take orders pretty well - when you don't disagree with them."

Troy turned his back on his coach and reached for his clothes. "You know my history, coach. I'm still learning how _not_ to be Team Captain."

"So I gathered." Montgomery fell silent for a moment. "How's your theater thing coming?"

His theater thing. Troy smiled faintly. Did all coaches say words like that with a touch of distain? "We're almost finished for the semester and we've got two shows left before Christmas."

"Anything that conflicts with game days?"

"Nah." Troy stepped into his boxers and jeans in one move, zipping them with a flick of his wrist before doing up his belt. "The last show is in the afternoon on the 22nd and the one before that is in the evening on the 19th."

"We play Colgate on the 22nd."

"Not until eleven - so it won't cause problems."

"It'll conflict with practice."

Troy turned, tugging his t-shirt over his head before flicking it to get his bangs out of his eyes. "Only on the one day. Is that going to be a problem coach?"

"Not yet," Montgomery smiled. "Don't get me wrong, Bolton, I understand the commitments you've got based on the scholarship you were given - I have no intention of stepping in to make you choose. But you might have to choose before long."

"What do you mean?"

"Most of the main line are home for the holidays as of yesterday. We're playing with a reduced team and scouts will be at every game. If they see what I see, you might very well be getting offers you weren't expecting."

"I'll deal with that if it happens... and there are guys on the team better than I am."

"Technically, you're right - but technical skills aren't all teams are looking for."

Troy closed his locker. "What are you trying to say, Coach?"

"It's a head's up. I didn't scout you for height, or for skill - though you aren't lacking. I scouted you because of the effect you can have on your team mates. You're an ace, Bolton; someone coaches like me throw in when they're down because you bring solidarity back to the team. Call it leadership, call it whatever you want, but you have the ability to inspire people to play their best and not step on anyone's toes while doing it. That's something a team, any team, is lucky to have."

"I'm not just good when it comes down to the wire."

"I know and that works in your favor. Good scouts will see the whole picture, just as I did."

"I intend to finish college before I make any decision about playing professional," Troy told him flatly. "And... it's not really just my decision anymore."

Montgomery tapped his own chest - right on the spot where the ring hung down around Troy's neck - and arched his eyebrows in silent inquiry.

"She's a good part of the reason I accepted what UC Berkeley offered me and I won't give her up simply because some scout thinks I can play pro." Troy pulled his bag out and closed his locker, stuffing a pocket book in his back pocket as he did. "She's here for the duration - four years with double majors - so I'm not going anywhere until we're both free to go."

"It could mean never going pro."

"Then I don't." Shrugging, Troy realized it didn't bother him as much as it once would have. Going pro wouldn't mean anything without Gabriella at his side. "I'll be around for a few seasons, coach - providing you don't get sick of me and sack me for having to take the odd day for theater."

"I knew it would happen." his coach waved dismissively. "There's practice tomorrow."

"I'll be there, sir."

Montgomery turned to leave and then stopped, looking back. "Is she worth it?"

"Worth what?"

His coach's lips tilted. "Possibly sacrificing your future for."

Without a pause, Troy simply smiled. "She _is_ my future."

"I hope you're right, Bolton." Shaking his head as if to say 'youth', Montgomery returned to his office and left Troy to his own devices.

Troy stared after him, wondering if people would ever be able to understand, and scooped his bag into one hand. Heading for the parking lot, he exchanged greetings with various students and teachers before sliding behind the wheel. Gabriella wasn't expecting him for another forty minutes - which was a good thing because he'd be cutting it close with the travel time between UC Berkeley and his apartment.

Putting his truck into gear, he pulled out of the parking lot.

----------

Gabriella was waiting when he arrived home, ambushing him as the door opened. Slipping her arms around his waist, she smiled as she rose up on her tip toes to kiss his cheek. "Welcome home."

His arms went about her automatically, stepping her back into the apartment as kicking the door shut. "Now that's a welcome I could get used to."

"Really?" After the rough morning of her own, and an afternoon where she couldn't focus, she was glad to have him home. "And here I thought after last night you might want to avoid me."

Troy twirled her away, using the way their fingers linked naturally together to find leverage. He threw the bolt before stepping into her body and catching her against him. "Ever think it might make me want to spend even more time with you?"

"Hmm," she relaxed at his affectionate tease, relieved their morning session hadn't created the awkwardness between them she'd been expecting. She kept making the first move - and Troy kept pulling back. "Maybe."

He pulled her close, flush against him and Gabriella ran her hands up his back as she placed her ear over his heart. The beat was as soothing as always - and just as elevated. "Did you miss me?"

She felt more than heard the words as he whispered them into her hair, the slight hesitance - as if he didn't quite know what her answer would be, revealing there was in fact the awkwardness she'd been expecting. Determined to kill it, she slid her hands down to hook her thumbs into the back pockets of his jeans - and stopped, arching her eyebrows. She hadn't expected to find a book - but that didn't distract Gabriella from her purpose. Leaning back, she looked up at him as she used her grip to keep their lower bodies practically flush.

"I _always_ miss you," it was an echo of their discussion a couple of days before, except this time she wasn't talking about him. "But I think I miss you most right now."

"I'm right here."

"You're a thousand miles away," she admonished softly. "Are you thinking about last night?"

"A little."

Gabriella didn't buy it for a second and pinned him with a look.

His sheepish smile appeared. "Okay, okay, a lot."

"Wishing you'd continued?"

He brushed the tip of her nose with one index finger as a blush spread across her cheeks. "Minx."

Changing the subject as she didn't dare press for more just yet, she tapped the nail of her index finger against the book in his back pocket. "Doing a little reading to keep your mind off things, Wildcat?"

"Something like that." Knowing what she'd find turned his smile teasing. "Nothing too heavy."

"It's not school work is it?"

"No, just a little... extracurricular information."

Intrigued, she pulled the book out of his pocket – and noted the glint of anticipation in his eyes. Her hand stilled, pressing the book into the muscles at the small of his back. "Is this something I don't want to see?"

"Oh, I don't know," he was suddenly back to his normal teasing self. "You might find it as useful as I have."

Suspicious by his sudden change in demeanor, she hesitated, toying with the cover and fanning her fingers through the pages as if to get some kind of hint. It was a pocket book, one of those smaller versions of something larger, condensed for easy handling. Other than that, she didn't even know the color of the cover to risk a guess. What could he have been reading?

"Aren't you curious?" Troy tried for an innocent expression - which failed miserably when his eyes were dancing with suppressed glee. He was enjoying her fight with her curiosity - and wheedled a little further. "It's been really, _really _helpful."

Gabriella chewed on her bottom lip, considering and finally yanked it away. A brilliant yellow and black cover was the first thing she saw. It took a moment to register what she was seeing - and when she did, she jumped away, dropping the book as if burned as her face flared a brilliant, fluorescent pink. Aghast, she spun away, not quite believing what she'd just seen.

"_Troy_!"

And the blasted man laughed.

Behind her, Troy felt the tension that had built within him over the last couple of days ease. It was a release all its own to laugh, and while laughing at her reaction to something wasn't exactly a good idea, he couldn't seem to help himself. It took several long moments before he could respond – and when he did he felt lighter than he had since they'd leapt into mutual, manual stimulation in his truck. "You don't like my reading?"

"I can't believe you have that!"

"What?" He bent to scoop the book from the floor, turning it over in his hands. "It's just the library copy - I don't figure I'll always need it."

Gabriella covered her burning face with her hands. "Is that your research?"

"Part of it." He tucked the book back into his pocket, stepping towards her so he could slide his hands over her shoulders - and down her arms. His touch was gentle as he softened his tone. "You can't be mad about _that_."

Taking a deep breath, Gabriella lowered her hands but couldn't meet his gaze. Instead she stared blankly at the wall, the image of the book's title burned into her eyes. "I... well no... but 'Sex for Dummies', Troy?"

Pulling her back, he slid his hands down until he caught hers and twined their fingers together. Lifting them, he hugged her and helped her hug herself as he pressed a kiss to the hair above her ear. "You can't say we're not. After that awful health class, I had to find something a little more neutral when we started to get serious."

"Oh." How could she fault that kind of logic?

"I told you; I don't want to hurt you. You wouldn't go into any exam unprepared; I'm trying to avoid doing the same."

"It's not an exam."

"I know." He hugged her tightly. "But it's also not something we should enter into with just our instincts. I told you I don't want to hurt you – and I want to do this right when it happens."

"Is reading that making you feel better?"

"Better than I was."

Gabriella looked up and back to catch his gaze, her face still red. "Is it... I mean does it answer your questions?"

"Some of them," Troy ease his hold on her, giving her the chance to turn in his embrace. She did, but only partially. "I picked it up today and I'm only on chapter ten."

"Ten?" Her eyebrows rose as her curiosity overruled her embarrassment. "That's pretty far since you didn't have it this morning."

His smile was sheepish. "It's tough to put down."

It was also playing havoc with his imagination and his confidence. There were certain things the book had already covered that he'd known about, he just hadn't _known_ about – and it was debunking some of the fears he had. What wasn't reassuring was that he wanted their first time together to be practically perfect – and the author warned it was unlikely. Not impossible, just unlikely – and even while it wasn't exactly a comforting stat, Troy was determined to be in that "unlikely" category. The book wasn't exactly destroying his fears, but it was giving him hope that things would be fine when they eventually progressed.

"There's a lot of stuff in here that we never covered in health class."

"Like?"

He brushed his lips across the nape of her neck – it had fast become his favorite place to put his mouth as it made her shiver and only reinforced the book's explanation as to why. "Erogenous zones to start with; it suggests something called body mapping."

"Oh?"

He brushed his thumbs over the sensitive places on her arms that only made her shiver more, down the side of her breast and across her stomach, tracing the under curve of the sensitive mounds of flesh with the tips of his thumbs. "It's a technique for learning what drives your partner wild."

Her laughter was slightly strangled, "You didn't... need a book... _Troy_..."

Pure frustration ran through her voice as Troy shifted his grip, drawing her back to him and hugging her tightly. "I know. But it's nice to learn I'm on the right track."

"I could have told you that."

"And you have," he rubbed his nose against hers. "Does it bother you that I'm reading about it?"

"You're trying to be responsible, why would that bother me?"

"Because it's me and not you?"

She finally turned in his arms. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, usually it's you who's doing the research whenever there's something one of us doesn't know."

"You have a point to make, I can see it in your eyes."

"In the interest of fair play, would you like to read it when I'm finished?"

Staring at him for a long minute, Gabriella finally took a step back and broke away from his hold. Deliberately, she turned towards the kitchen. "Are you hungry?"

Grinning, Troy let her change the subject – though her question could have been taken in a different connotation. He suspected he'd find her curled up with his book later if he left her alone with it. Catching her was going to be tricky, but if he did, it would open the door for them to talk about the information contained there in... and who knew what else?

Following her into the kitchen, he let the matter drop entirely, the tension between them gone – though he did catch her staring at the book in his back pocket every now and again as they shifted through the small kitchen and made dinner. At least, he assumed she was sneaking gazes at the book – for all he knew she was checking him out. Not calling her on it, he endured her good natured teasing about his research habits when they finally settled down for dinner.

"I bet the librarian had quite the look on her face when you signed out that book."

"It's not your normal curriculum," he agreed. "Fortunately I was the only one in the library and she didn't seem to read the title as it came across the desk."

"How can you miss it?"

Troy mimicked the slightly glazed look the librarian had been wearing, making her laugh. "I think it was the end of a really long day and she just didn't care anymore."

"Or it's not the strangest thing to cross her desk."

"Considering the subjects we can study, I'd have to agree. She might have just thought I was signing it out for one of my classes."

Gabriella grinned teasingly. "Studying to be a gynecologist?"

"Uh..." Troy flushed. "It's not really my field of inter...um... I mean I uh... I couldn't do that for a living."

Laughing, she let him off the hook and their night unwound from there, leaving them once again on the couch with Troy quizzing Gabriella for her test the following morning. He called it quits about nine, ushering her off to bed with the insistence she get as much sleep as she could – and was rewarded with a kiss and a hug, along with a sweet 'thank you' for taking care of her.

With Gabriella asleep less than twenty minutes later, he left the bedroom to settle back on the couch with the _Dummies_ book in his lap. One eye on the time, one eye on the pages, Troy resumed his reading.


	25. Four Down, Three to Go

_Four Down, Three to Go- December 18__th_

The _Dummies_ book wasn't on the coffee table where he'd left it when Troy woke the next morning, nor was it on the floor. He'd finished chapter 12 - Spicing Up Your Sex Life - and had been looking forward to reading the next chapter at some point that day while Gabriella was taking her final.

With Gabriella in the shower - after he'd snuck in first so he was clean before work - he undertook a search of his apartment. His bedroom, kitchen and living room turned up nothing - and he wasn't about to search the bathroom with his naked girlfriend standing under the spray! That was a temptation he wasn't quite ready to brave just yet. The water turned off several minutes later, giving him the chance to talk to her.

"Gabriella, do you know what happened to my book?"

"Your what?"

He turned towards the partially open bathroom door to see her doing her hair, the brush caught in those silken tresses. "My book. Have you seen it?"

She shook her head and turned back to the mirror. "Not since you put it back in your pocket yesterday. Where'd you have it last?"

"On the coffee table." He'd started to drift off while reading and had to put it down. Which was a shame since the next fascinating chapter was on Oral Sex. The matter-of-fact tone of the book was like reading a text book - but better. Plus there was the advantage of _not_ having some judgmental teacher hanging over your shoulder. "I think anyway."

"You think?" Gabriella emerged from the washroom as she was pulling her hair back from her face into a ponytail. Jeans and a deep v-necked black t-shirt complimented by a wide silver belt riding low on her hips caught and held his attention. "Maybe you left it with your clothes when you came to bed."

"I already checked." Tearing his gaze away, he began lifting the pillows on the couch as he reluctantly returned to his search. He'd rather have continued to watch her. "Are you _sure_ you haven't seen it?"

"Positive." Checking the time, she looked pointedly at the door. "I've got to get going, Troy; and so do you if you don't want to be late for work. You can find it when you get home."

She had a point. Abandoning his search, he grabbed his jacket and joined her, slipping his shoes on. Gabriella was reaching for the door when Troy wrapped his arms about her waist and pulled her back against his chest.

"Good morning."

She tilted her face up and back and Troy obligingly brushed his lips across hers, lingering for a moment. They separated with small smiles and Gabriella lifted one hand to caress his cheek. "Good morning."

"It is now." Troy squeezed once before releasing her, opening the door so she could precede him through before locking it behind them. "Can I give you a ride?"

"You'll be late if you do," she told him with a shake of her head. "Don't forget, we're going to dinner at mom's tonight."

The fact she hadn't said at her place didn't go unnoticed, but Troy chose not to comment on it. "I've got practice after work and I promised coach I'd be there."

"Until when?"

"Seven, I think - which means I won't be able to get there until almost eight." He caught her hand as they headed downstairs. "Is that too late?"

"I'll just tell mom you'll be a little later than expected," she squeezed his hand. "I'm sure a late dinner won't matter. She just wants to see us before you move me out on tomorrow."

Troy squeezed her fingers. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

"I know you will." They exited into the morning sunlight, Gabriella going to the bike rack in front of the building where she kept her bike locked when visiting Troy. "She just wanted me to make sure you'd be there."

"I will. Good luck today."

"Thanks," she leaned in to brush a kiss across his cheek, balancing her bike to the side. "Have fun at work and practice."

Troy lifted one hand in farewell as she climbed on her bike and pedaled away. Watching her go, he smiled faintly and shook his head. He'd forgotten about dinner with her mother tonight, anticipating coming home from practice to just her. Dinner with Ms. Montez was always tricky and the thought of having that last minute conversation about her 'little girl' moving in with him made his stomach twist. It was no secret that Gabriella shared his bed when she was over - no matter how platonically it was - and he knew Ms. Montez wasn't expecting it to stay that way.

She hadn't, yet, said anything to him about taking that step with Gabriella, but after Gabriella's birthday gift, he was half expecting 'the talk' from her. Not that she'd be out of line in giving it, but it was just a touch nerve wracking to think about talking with Ms. Montez with regards to Gabriella that way. He shook it off, knowing there was little he could do if Gabriella's mother insisted on bringing up the subject.

Heading for his truck, he headed in the opposite direction Gabriella had gone and off to work.

---------

_Locker room - pre practice_

"Hey Bolton! You haven't been around much."

Troy tugged his shirt over his head and tossed it into his locker as he reached for his practice jersey. "I've been busy," he returned, nodding to Kamp. "Sorry I couldn't be at the last few games, but it doesn't look like you guys needed me."

Randle joined them, "How's that show going, Bolton? They pick you up for Broadway yet?"

"Funny," Troy tugged the jersey over his head, stripping off the chain and his class ring to put them in his locker before reaching for his shorts. "I'm just glad it's almost over."

"Too stressful?" the tease was good natured as Randle changed into his practice uniform. "I hear they keep you guys breathless."

"Never try and run around a stage and sing at the same time - it's worse than suicide drills."

The guys laughed and Troy changed into his shorts, leaving his jersey un-tucked. It was only practice and he was more comfortable that way.

"So the ball and chain finally marked you, huh?" Kamp tugged the chain with the ring around it from his locker with one finger - and Troy snatched it back before the center could get a good look at it. "Easy, Bolton, I just want to see."

"None of your business, Kamp," Troy told him firmly, closing and locking his locker. "Any idea what kind of starting lineup is coach looking at since Christopher's out and Boykin's away for the holidays?"

Patrick Christopher had been reinjured and, as a consequence, coach had been alternating the guys in his position - though Seeley was the favorite to take his place until the injury healed. Eddie Miller and Taylor Harrison had been scouted by the NBA leaving them two short - though neither was a starter, they'd had enough play time to make impressions on the Suns and Kings. Their choice to leave the team didn't leave them in a lurch, but Troy knew both players and suspected they'd do well where they were headed.

"Who knows?" Randle closed his locker and bent to tie his shoes. "Coach might just give you a shot at Christopher's starting position."

Putting Troy in direct competition with Seeley - it wasn't something he wanted to really contemplate. Seeley was a great guy and their little games on the court by his place had shown they worked better together than as substitutes for one another. "I guess we'll see."

That ended the short conversation as Coach Montgomery left his office and made it clear practice was starting. Their banter and questions were put on hold. Despite that, as they were put through their paces, the guys teased one another good-naturedly; with the holidays around the corner, and some of the guys being stuck in the dorm, were talking about spending it together.

Others, who had family within an hour's drive ensure those that didn't want to get together with the guys, were invited out. Kamp made a point of asking Troy - and Troy simply smiled with a shake of his head, telling him he had other plans.

It resulted in a bout of teasing that continued through the last half of practice and back into the dressing room after coach had announced the starting lineup for their next game. Troy, much to his surprise, found himself starting in Christopher's position with Seeley starting as a forward. It was the reverse of what Troy'd been expecting - even on the outside - and Seeley pulled their coach aside once the team returned to the locker rooms to discuss the new set up.

By the end of practice, the guys were pumped for the game that Saturday and Troy... Troy was worried about his new starting position. The coach, before taking Seeley into his office, had simply smiled and nodded when Troy had tried to catch his eye. Whatever the reason, his coach had decided to put him in as a starter despite the fact he hadn't earned it with his recent absences.

"Starting at Shooting Guard," Kamp slapped Troy on the shoulder as they headed back into the locker room. "I'm surprised Coach didn't point you in s Point guard and throw Randal back into Shooting."

"Ha!" Randall joined them with a laugh as they stripped down. "What position does it matter, you guys listen to Troy on the court more than you listen to me anyway. This way he just might get some net time."

"Hey, I'm not out there to take control," Troy protested as they grabbed their towels and head for the showers. "I'm just here to play some ball like the rest of you."

"Sure," Kamp scoffed with a laugh. The towels were left on hooks and a quick spin of the taps turned the showers on. "You can't help it, Troy; you naturally take control when things hit a tough spot."

"You guys don't have to listen."

Laughing, Randall snapped his towel at Troy, leaving a welt on the bare skin of his backside as he stepped into the shower. Troy yelped as some of the other guys laughed, the spray hitting him full in the face.

"You're right, we don't have to listen."

"I'd like to listen to that little hottie who's head of the dance squad this year," Liss, one of the Juniors commented.

"I wouldn't recommend it man, she doesn't have anything interesting to say."

"Who said I wanted to listen to her _talk_?"

There was more laughter as the subject changed from Troy's tendency to take over - where everyone had a good laugh at his expense - to the women they were currently involved with. It jumped back and forth, getting progressively more vulgar with every comment - until they turned on Troy who'd been suspiciously silent.

"Hey, Bolton, how about that brunette you were with in November, what's her name?"

"Gabriella," Kamp supplied.

Troy shook his head as he lathered up his hair. "None of your business, Gutierrez."

"Come on, Bolton, spill," Knezevic urged. "She must be a good lay if you're still with her."

"Not to mention let her mark you."

Thrusting his head back under the spray, Troy ignored the comments to wash the soap out. Randle said something but the beat of the water blocked it out. Clean, Troy twisted the taps closed and grabbed his towel, shaking his head when they made one last push.

"How about it, Bolton? Are those lips as good as they look when they su-"

"_Hey_!" Troy's stern tone sliced across the shower room, and silence descended as he turned his head to glare at his teammate. "Crack at me all you want, but leave her out of it. I don't care who _you_ guys talk about when it comes to who you're doing or seeing, I won't. Gabriella is off limits; got it?"

The sound of the water hitting naked bodies and tiled floors was the only thing audible as Troy looked from one face to the next. Seeing there wasn't going to be any kind of retaliation while he was looking at them almost murderously, he headed for his locker. Behind him there was silence before the echo of the general sentiment made its way to him.

"_So _whipped."

There was snickering - except Troy didn't dignify the comment with a reply. He'd made his point, whatever they thought about his relationship with Gabriella he really didn't care. Providing of course they didn't talk about her, at least in his presence. Ignoring them, he toweled off as he opened his locker once more and pulled clean clothes from his bag. While the guys finishing in the showers, Troy dressed and within moments was gone.

Whatever, if anything, they had to say about it, he didn't know and he didn't care. Let them think whatever they wanted; Gabriella was off limits and that was how it would stay.

---------

Gabriella helped her mom in the kitchen as they whipped up dinner together, mashing the potatoes that would go with the roast that was in the oven. "So, how was your trip?"

"Enlightening," she replied with a smile, checking on the tenderness of the main course. "I was introduced to the client and was shown several furnished apartments the company wants me to pick from."

"Furnished?" Gabriella added milk to her mixture before resuming her mashing. "I thought you were moving, or has that changed?"

"There's been a slight change in plans, yes," Ms. Montez closed the oven and removed her oven mitts. "But it won't affect the arrangement between you and Troy."

"In other words this isn't a dinner to let us know I'm not moving in with him?"

Laughing softly, Ms. Montez shook her head. "No; nothing like that."

Exhaling softly so her mom wouldn't know just how _glad_ she was that wasn't the case, Gabriella changed the subject. "Did you enjoy your time in Seattle at least?"

"It was informative, but there wasn't much time to do anything beyond looking at apartments, a quick business meeting and checking in with my new office." Her tone turned teasing, "Without having to check on schools, I was able to meet everyone for drinks beforehand too."

"Ha ha, funny mom." Finished with her task, Gabriella put the lid back on the potatoes and placed them back on the stove. "Meet anyone interesting?"

"There was this one man..."

"Mom!"

"I'm thirty seven, I'm not dead," her mother returned with a teasing grin. "Don't worry, Gabi, it was only business drinks. I wouldn't think of abandoning you here no matter how handsome the temptation."

Gabriella made a noise in the back of her throat and turned back to the stove. "Don't let me hold you back. Troy will take care of me just fine."

"I'm sure he will; he always does. How late did he say he'd be?"

"When practice is over - but he should be on the road right now."

Her phone rang at that moment and Ms Montez arched her eyebrows, the ring tone making it obvious as to whom it was. "Speak of the devil."

"Oh mom..." Pulling her phone from her hip pocket, Gabriella accepted the call with a smile. "Hey! Mom and I were just talking about you!"

"_Nothing bad I hope._"

Her mother waved her away, and Gabriella took her leave, heading upstairs to her room - a room where boxes were scattered about in her half-finished packing attempts. "No, nothing bad. She was just telling me about her trip."

"_Did she enjoy herself?_"

"So she says. Where are you?"

"_Parked outside the supermarket. Did you need me to get anything before I come over?_"

"I think we're good. Mom said she just wanted your company today."

"_Are you sure?_"

"How far away are you, Troy?"

"_About twenty minutes. Did you need me to stop by our place and bring anything for you?_"

His not so subtle way of asking if she had the feminine supplies she needed. "No," she told him laughing. "I still have a few supplies here. I'll see you in twenty, Wildcat."

Tossing her phone on her bed, she took a look about the room, an unconscious smile on her lips. He was sweet, and she couldn't wait to see him. To occupy herself, she set about packing her clothing away into the plastic moving bins she'd had for years. Her mother left her alone, putting around downstairs, and Gabriella found herself immersed in her job. As she did every time she moved, she went through each drawer methodically and made two different piles.

Keep and donate.

The keep pile was usually smaller for practical reasons, except this time she didn't feel the need to discard anything she liked simply because it was necessary. True, there were things she never wore - which she tossed in one pile along with the damaged articles - but there were things she didn't _have_ to get rid of this time. That little freedom was almost as novel as the idea that she was moving in with Troy the following day.

A knock on her window brought her head up and the smile that crossed her face was teasing. Troy stood on the balcony, one hand in a pocket, the other still lightly touching the frame of the door. Pushing to her feet, she crossed and unlocked the doors.

"Indulging in your obsession with trees?"

"I couldn't resist what might possibly be my last chance to enter through your balcony doors," he returned with a grin, "I have too many good memories of climbing up to see you to surrender another."

Gabriella slid her arms about his neck, going up on tip toe. "Is that so?"

Troy pulled her closer with a grin, ducking his head to hers. "I _knew_ I'd have another good one to add."

"_Gabriella_?"

"It never ends." He groaned, his forehead touching hers when their lips hadn't. "I swear it's a curse."

"I think everyone took lessons from Chad - though no one can ruin a moment quite like he can." Raising her voice, she answered her mother. "Yeah, mom?"

"_Tell Troy next time he's to use the front door. I don't want him falling out of that tree._"

They shared a look and burst out laughing. Troy looped his arm about her shoulders and steered her towards the door. "Don't worry, Ms. Montez," he called back. "I've an affinity for trees."

----------

Troy and Gabriella set the table as Ms. Montez put the last finishing touches on dinner, and then the three of them settled in and dished out the food. Mashed potatoes, gravy, pot roast, beans, corn, carrots and cauliflower made their way around until their plates were practically overflowing with food.

"Wow, this is a feast!"

"And there's dessert," Gabriella teased as Troy ladled gravy over his potatoes. "So save some room."

"I _always_ have room for desert."

Ms. Montez lifted her glass, drawing their attention. "I would like to propose a toast."

Setting aside the serving utensils, Troy and Gabriella lifted their glasses and waited. Obligingly, Ms. Montez didn't keep them waiting long.

"To new opportunities and life experiences that enrich us and let us grow."

They touched their glasses together with a slight _ting_ and drank, Gabriella slanting a smile at Troy. "Was that what you wanted to tell us mom?"

Laughing softly, Ms. Montez shook her head as she placed her glass back on the table and collected her utensils. "Not exactly. I won't be selling the house."

Troy almost dropped his fork. "What?"

"I'm not selling the house." Adding some spice to her meal, Ms. Montez then mixed the gravy in with her potatoes. "Once this deal is finished I'm intending to return to Palo Alto."

"Does...that mean I don't need to move out?" Gabriella's question was hesitant - and a little strained. She was looking forward to living with Troy - and not just to be technically on their own.

"Not exactly." Her mother laughed at the blatant relief in both of their expressions. "Though if I said yes, I suspect that wouldn't change your decision."

"It would mean discussing it," she returned, sharing a look with Troy. "I don't understand, mom."

"When my company found out I was intending to return here, at least until you've graduated, they suggested it. As they pay for my relocation, this is being treated instead like... an expensive working holiday. Rather than buy an apartment or house, I'll be renting with my company footing the bill."

"They're very accommodating."

"I wouldn't go any other way," Ms. Montez took a sip of her drink. "But leaving the house empty or with just Gabriella in it doesn't appeal to me."

"I'd be fine, mom."

"I know you would be, but I also know you'd be spending very little time here; this last quarter proved it."

"So what are you going to do if you're not going to sell it? Rent it out?"

"I have two suggestions." Placing her glass back on the table, Ms. Montez met their gazes squarely. "The first, is that Troy moves in here."

"I don't want to seem-"

She held up her hand, cutting off his protest. "Let me finish."

He fell silent, and Gabriella's hand found his under the table, squeezing.

Ms. Montez continued. "If it makes you feel more comfortable I would follow the same agreement you've made with Gabriella at the current rate - minus utilities. Half rent, no utilities and you can use the drive way for your truck. The rest of your expenses, whatever the two of you incur, would be your own to cover."

"And the other suggestion, mom?"

"I rent the house out for the year I'll be gone."

"But what if you're finished early?" Ever sensible, Gabriella was already thinking of the possibilities of both options. "You said ten months, but what if it's nine? Where are you going to stay when you get back?"

"It's a bridge I'd have to cross if it happened. If I rent the house out to strangers, then other arrangements would need to be made. If Troy moves in here, with you, it gives me a little more flexibility."

"We'd have to talk about it," Troy hedged. "Since it allows for a different kind of arrangement than what we've already discussed."

"Both scenarios will have their advantages and disadvantages," acknowledged Ms. Montez. "I know you were going to move Gabriella over tomorrow, but I'd like you to completely consider your options. You'd both be doing _me _a favor."

"We'll talk about it," Gabriella promised, feeling Troy's firm squeeze.

He seemed as reluctant as she did about it; not because they would mind living in the house just the two of them, but because it was her _mother's_ house. Troy didn't have to say it for her to understand. At least at his place there were no lingering reminders of parents to make things awkward.

"Good. Now, the other reason I asked you both over tonight. Who do I contact to get tickets to this show of yours? Gabriella tells me it's better than anything we saw in High School."

Conversation from that point onwards was light, with Ms. Montez catching up with them both about finals and extracting a promise from Troy over desert to get her tickets for the next showing of his play. Troy, as with all the players, had several reserved just for them and handed them over to her delight. Gabriella had simply watched, silently laughing at his anticipation of the subject.

Later, when Ms. Montez had taken her leave and left them to clean up her kitchen while she checked her e-mail and set the move to Seattle in motion, Gabriella commented on it.

"That was a little convenient. How'd you know my mom wanted to see your play?"

"I didn't," Troy placed the stack of plates and glasses he was carrying on the counter before returning to help her clear away the rest of the serving utensils. "I just figured I should keep them on hand just in case."

"Six tickets 'on hand'? I know you better than that."

He smiled sheepishly, caught. "I guess I was kind of hoping mom and dad would make it out for one of the last shows."

"And bring a certain Redhawk with them?"

"If he wanted. Chad's not going anywhere for Christmas."

"But why would he come here when his family's all in Albuquerque?" Gabriella opened the dishwasher and began stacking the plates in. "Not to mention you're not the only one with games over the holidays I'm sure."

"Good point," Troy sighed. "I guess I just miss him."

"I'm not enough for you, Wildcat?" Her tone was teasing, except she stopped what she was doing to wrap her arms about his waist. "I guess this is the first Christmas away from your family, huh?"

"It feels a little strange. Did you know that Chad and I used to alternate crashing at each other's houses over Christmas and New Years so we could ambush our parents?"

"Did you get to celebrate Christmas twice that way?"

He blinked and then laughed. "I never thought of it like that, but you've got a point. There were always presents for me under his tree, and presents for him under ours."

"Twice the presents, twice the fun?"

"Twice the experience," Troy corrected, hugging her. "We got to be there for everything being opened."

"I bet you guys compared what your parents bought each of you."

"Of course we did! But we always got ball stuff for the two of us. I remember the one year my dad had Redhawks uniforms made with our names on them. I think we were eight or something; we wore holes through them inside of six months pretending to be on the team or players of the current one." His smile faded.

"You have some pretty good memories, Troy." She squeezed him tightly. "Did you know what my present was most years?"

"What, did you get the same thing?"

Gabriella nodded. "I did. Bet you can't guess."

"Clothes?"

"Everyone gets clothes. Think bigger."

"A new bed?"

"Every year?" she laughed. "Bigger."

"Uh..." He frowned. "I don't have a clue."

"A new house."

"A new... oh."

"Yeah. East High was my Fourth High school in two years. Usually Christmas meant having to pack, or celebrating on the move. It's pretty special to be able to celebrate this one with you."

"You were with me last year." His own melancholy forgotten. "Wasn't that special?"

"It was," she assured him quickly. "But this year will be waking up to _you_ on Christmas morning, not just your picture on my cell phone when you called to wish me a Merry Christmas."

"I hadn't thought of that."

"Still miss Chad?"

He laughed, hugging her tightly and spinning her around once before putting her back on her feet. "You know, not quite so much."

"Are you two finished yet?" They looked up guiltily to see Ms. Montez standing in the doorway into the kitchen with a grin on her face. "Of course if you'd spend more time _cleaning_..."

Both of them flushed and Gabriella turned back to loading the dishwasher, Troy scraping off the dishes and handing them to her. "Sorry mom."

Ms. Montez waved it away. "Don't apologize, it does me good to see both of you so happy. I'm going to turn in; it's been a long day."

"Good night Ms. Montez."

"Good night Troy."

Gabriella detached herself long enough to give her mother a hug. Whatever her mother thought about her relationship with Troy, tonight she'd demonstrated that she not only trusted them both, but she accepted it. The invisible pressures that had been present before she'd gone to Seattle were gone.

"Good night mom. Are... you taking me to that appointment tomorrow or should I have Troy drive me?"

"I'll take you," Pressing a soft kiss to her daughter's cheek, she let her go. "If Troy's moving your bedroom to his place, he'll be a little busy."

"We haven't talked about it yet - but we will."

"I know you will." She turned to leave and then paused. "Oh, and Troy?"

"Yeah?"

"I won't have Gabriella falling and breaking her neck; remember to use the front door when you leave."


	26. Unexpected Surprises: Part 1

**Author's Note:** The good news is my finger's almost healed – the bad news is I re-wrote the day of the 19th four freaking times before I realized something; I like that I had originally - and reworked it to fit the idea in my head. A lot of stuff to happens on the 19th so it might actually be 4 parts or more – and they're all 7-8 pages (or longer) in 10 pt font on word… so yeah.

Sorry for making you guys wait – had to ensure I didn't have continuity errors. Part 2 up tomorrow

_Unexpected Surprises - December 19__th_

_Part 1_

Troy and Gabriella finished cleaning at her mom's place before slinking downstairs to the guest room that Troy had used when he'd been staying with them. It was after midnight and hot chocolate steamed from two mugs as they settled on the bare mattress of the bed. Troy closed the door and Gabriella handed him his drink.

"Thanks." He blew across the top a little to cool it - and dived right in. "I can't believe your mom's offering to let us live here unsupervised."

"I think she's accepted that we're adults, Troy," she couldn't keep the amusement from her voice and didn't even try. "My birthday gift was a touch telling."

"No kidding." Stretching out across the mattress, he braced his weight on his forearms, the mug cradled between his hands. Gabriella was sitting at the head board to his left, and his body now boxed her in on the mattress. Neither of them noticed. "But living here? What happens when she comes back?"

The rest of the question remained unspoken, but they both knew he was talking about their sleeping arrangement and what was brewing between them. Before long - she suspected before New Years - Troy and she would finally take the plunge into a full blown physical relationship and where would that leave them if they were living in her mother's house? Especially when she came back - could she and would she accept it? Despite the gift of birth control, Gabriella didn't think her mother would approve of her boyfriend - pre-fiancé - sharing her bed nightly.

And it would be _her_ bed they'd be sharing since they'd already discussed getting rid of his.

"I don't know," her admission was soft as she cradled her mug between her hands and took a sip. "Is it horribly selfish of me to say that, whatever happens, we shouldn't change it just 'cause she's back?"

"What do you mean?"

"She'll be gone for almost a year and a lot can happen in that time; we won't be at the same stage we are now and we certainly won't be as innocent. Just because she's home doesn't mean we should adjust our relationship to suit her."

Troy searched the depths of her eyes. "I agree, but it will go back to being her house, not ours, and we'll have to adjust to her rules."

"Unless we keep them while you're here."

"I am _not_ sleeping down here while you're tucked in upstairs!"

"Can't sleep without me, Wildcat?"

He grinned at her tease and took another sip of his cocoa. "I sleep better with you beside me."

"Why, 'cause you know where I am?"

"Nope," his eyes twinkled. "Because I need to be needed and being your _personal_ bed warmer happens to be a badge of pride for me."

"You!" Laughing, she looked for something to throw and him and came up empty handed. She settled for nudging him with her foot. "And I didn't mean that rule when I was talking about keeping her rules. I was more thinking about not throwing any wild parties."

"Oh, _that_ rule."

"Yes, _that_ rule." She nudged him again with her foot. "There are upsides to living here though."

"More space."

"You can still climb the tree to see me."

"I won't need to," he laughed.

Gabriella's smile faded as she took another sip of her drink, swirling the cup a little. "We need to talk about this seriously."

"I know." Troy sighed. "So let's talk."

There was silence for a moment as they each sipped their cocoa and then Troy continued. "So... what are some good things about moving here instead of my apartment?"

"Lower rent and no utilities."

"A couple of blocks closer to school for you."

"More space - we won't be tripping over one another." She grinned. "Even if I _like_ tripping over you."

"More than one bathroom," he nudged her with his elbow. "You wouldn't have to wait for me."

"Or you for me, is that it?" Her teasing tone held and echo of his amusement. "We'd have the yard."

"Which we'd have to cut, water, and tend." He arched his eyebrows. "Don't tell me that's a good thing."

"Sure it is, because it means we have the hammock out back to laze in."

"Point conceded." That hammock held a lot of happy memories - and the possibility of more when school was out for the summer. "But when would we find the time to do those chores?"

"We'd figure something out," she assured him confidently. "I'm sure you'll never forget how to push a lawn mower."

"Ha!" Troy stretched out to put his glass on the dresser by the head of the bed, plucking hers from her hand to put next to his as he did. "And I'm sure you'll be thrilled to be on bathroom duty in return."

"Ah!" Gabriella glared at him with mock ferocity. "You would too!"

"If only to make my point." A shriek of surprise escaped as he grabbed her and rolled, hauling her down on the bed. His blue eyes twinkled with mischief as they twisted and he pinned her beneath him. "And here's another."

Her eyes widened as his head came down, his lips covering hers in a surprisingly heated and passionate kiss. All thoughts of the discussion they were _supposed_ to be having fled under the sudden assault. Teeth, tongue and lip sensually invaded her mouth in a series of rapid fire, planned caresses that left her gasping for breath.

Troy's hand - the one still at her waist - shifted and she sucked in sharply on a half-moan as he slid it upwards. Before there had always been a hesitance to his movements, but at that moment, confidence was in every muscle, every touch as his hand slowly crossed her stomach and made it jump. It traveled over the edge of her rib cage without a pause - except she was expecting him to desist.

Troy, to her surprise, didn't.

His hand folded around the mound of her breast, covering it almost completely and she arched off the bed , breaking the kiss on a gasp. Her hands went to cover his - but not to remove it; to help. Troy's grasp was light, but deliberate, as he nibbled on the underside of her jaw and began to move his hand. Her breath hitched in her throat, rendering her both breathless and soundless as she pressed against his hand, her eyes closed. His lips left her skin and she protested with a soft mewl of a sound.

That sound seemed to spur him onwards and his mouth returned to hers for a whisper of a kiss before settling at the joint of her collar bone.

"Troy..."

He feathered kisses around the area - and moved downwards, tugging the stretchy V neck of her top down with his teeth and using the hand that was already covering her breast to keep it in place. A hazy, half-remembered sense of propriety suggested she might stop him - except the feel of his lips as they _finally_ settled over the engorged nipple he'd been stroking moments destroyed her ability to think completely. Through the thin material of her bra, Troy suckled her for a minute. Gabriella slid her hands into his hair and arched into him, keeping herself bowed to increase the contact as she used him for an anchor.

Troy eased back, taking her with him so that she was bowed back over one arm - and slid the hand that had been holding her shirt down around her back. A smooth move tugged the short hem from the top of her jeans and his hand slid underneath. Gabriella shuddered in his grasp, vocalizing her approval for the move and her hands clenched for a moment in his hair.

Deliberately, he slid his fingers upwards until he encountered what he sought - and almost groaned with frustration. Triple hooked with a snap. He didn't, contrary to popular belief, have much experience undoing the clasp on a bra. Sure, he'd snapped one or two - what boy hadn't in his first year of high school? - but never while he was holding a girl; he hadn't dared.

Instead of fumbling blindly, like he knew would happen if he tried one handed, he shifted his grip on her and slid the other hand under her shirt. Her skin was hot to the touch, flushed, and seemed to pulse under his finger tips. A quick twist of his wrists as he held the clasp within his finger tips loosened the garment - and he used his teeth to pull the edge free, barring her breasts to his gaze for the first time.

Gabriella stiffened for a moment - except Troy refused to allow her to be modest as he slid one hand around her torso, following the now sagging line of her bra. Before she could do something silly - like attempt to cover herself - Troy reached up within her shirt and tugged it downwards. The material stretched, taking the bra with it, and slid down first over one shoulder and then the other until the fabric held her imprisoned, dragging her arms down until they could only bend at the elbows with limited movement.

"Troy... what are you- _oh_!"

The heat of his mouth covered her nipple and her head fell back, her hands clutching at his forearms as he held her in place - and began easing her back to the bed. Gabriella shifted as he did, her legs sliding against his, hooking behind his knee as her back hit the mattress and drew him down with her.

Troy's lips lost their grip on her erect nipple as her change in position seated them intimately, with her leg curled around his hip to cradle him. The blatant, intimately suggestive pose was only heightened by the fact he could feel her pulsing against his erection. His breath hissed out as she moved, using the leg around his hip to shift her body into a closer contact as she lifted the other to join it, grinding herself against him with a whimper.

He couldn't help himself as he echoed the movement, watching as her head thrashed to one side with another pleading sound. She sounded pained, as if she couldn't reach what she sought - what they both sought. Her thighs tightened on his hips and he groaned, claiming her lips in a hot open mouthed kiss as their hips gyrated together. The friction between them at pelvic, and now at chest level, only heightened their excitement as Troy gripped one of her hips.

The sudden, loud _creek_ of the floorboards above them, however, gave them both pause and Troy's head jerked up as if shot.

Gabriella's eyes snapped open to meet his, dismay and _want_ warring with good sense. That sound indicated her mother was up, meaning they should stop; but she didn't want to. Troy made to move away, but her legs had him caught, linked together behind his back at the ankles as she lay beneath him. His breathing was erratic, slightly gasping, as he took in the sight and the image of her like this was burned into his brain.

Bared from shoulder to the bottom of her rib cage, her arms still caught in her shirt, her breasts were pressed together and thrust proudly upwards with their swollen nipples points of dusky temptation. The silken sheet of her skin was a darker hue than the rest of her, the flush of arousal carrying down under her top.

"Troy..."

Her plea ate at his resolve - and somewhere in the fog of his brain he vaguely remembered why he'd begun this play in the first place. With deliberate movements, he eased away, the separation almost painful - but the memory of that noise, of the possibility of having her _mother_ walk in on them, gave him the strength necessary to accomplish it. A quick tug on her shirt had it back in place and freed her arms.

Lunging at him, Gabriella's surprise attack had him flat on his back on the bed a moment later. Her hands gripped his, planting them firmly beside his head as she straddled his hips and pressed downwards, making them both moan. Her hair was wild about her face, her lips swollen and her eyes glinted with the promise of payback. Her shirt was still askew thanks to the undone bra underneath, but she didn't move to correct it.

"_Gabriella_?"

She froze, her mother's muffled voice drifting through the door. A moment later there was a polite knock, but her mother's tone was concerned.

"_Gabriella_?"

"Yeah mom?"

"_Is everything okay_?"

Gabriella's gaze locked with Troy's as she eased back and away from him, hastily reaching up to correct her bra. "Uh... fine, mom, fine. We were just... um..."

"We were just discussing the benefits each of our moving opportunities hold."

She shot him a grateful look and then squeaked in alarm as he rose from the bed and made to open the door, running a hand through his hair and tugging down the hem of his tee; Troy's penchant for long shirts worked in his favor. Gabriella smoothed down her shirt and then her hair as she pulled her cocoa off the dresser and took a sip. It was the same moment Troy pulled open the portal standing between them and her mother with an apologetic smile.

"We didn't mean to wake you."

"I wasn't asleep yet," Ms. Montez assured him, her look questioning. "I thought I heard a scream?"

Somehow, Gabriella managed not to blush. "We're fine mom."

"So I see. I didn't realize the two of you were staying the night."

"We're not," Gabriella said firmly, casting a meaningful look Troy's way before he could contradict her. "We just figured we should talk about it before we left. It's not an easy decision."

"I never thought it would be; giving up a place you've made your own never is." Turning, Ms. Montez made to leave them alone. "Whatever you choose, don't be too much longer or I won't be able to sleep knowing you could be leaving at any time."

Troy waited he heard the door at the top of the stairs close before securing the bedroom door - and leaning against it with his arms crossed. "That was awkward."

"I can't believe you let her in!" Gabriella hissed, putting her mug back on the dresser. "I must look a sight."

"Slightly ravished," he returned with a wink before becoming serious once more. "I hate to say it, Gabriella, but your mom is both upside and downside number one to moving in here."

Gabriella pulled her knees to her chest, suddenly overcome by a shyness she'd thought she'd outgrown as what they'd been doing registered on a conscious level instead of an instinctual. There's be no thought whatsoever as to the noise they'd been making - no wonder her mother had come looking for them! Heat crawled into her cheeks, as much because of what they'd been doing and the unfulfilled need still crawling through her veins as embarrassment. She couldn't look at him as she attempted to correct the fastener on her bra and slide it back into its correct place

He didn't move from his position by the door. "Gabriella."

She didn't look up, the color high in her cheeks as she managed to refasten her underwear correctly. Troy's gaze seemed riveted as she slid her fingers along the underside of the garment so it wouldn't pinch, yet the fabric still brushed against her still painfully sensitive nipples and she had to bite her lip to keep a sound from escaping.

"Look at me."

It was the soft, understanding - yet strained - tone in his voice that brought her head up. His expression was pained, an echo of what she was feeling, and she knew he understood. Except there was less embarrassment this time and more acceptance of the inevitable. Troy was far more comfortable where things were headed than he had been.

"You have _no_ idea how much I want to go back to..." he paused, ran a hand through his hair and tried again, deliberately switching gears. "Ups and downs of living here. We've covered a lot of the ups. Some downsides."

"Interruptions," she whispered. "But only until January."

"Where as we could be at the apartment until then without them."

"The apartment is cozier," she ventured hesitantly. "We couldn't spend days being out of touch because we never saw one another. Even if you did have to sleep on the couch."

Troy arched his eyebrows - but still didn't move from his semi-slouch against the door. "Not in a million years. I'd climb that tree to your balcony covered in ice and snow if it meant spending time with you."

Her lips curved. "Climbing it in the rain isn't good enough?"

"Not enough of a challenge."

They shared a soft laugh.

"I... think it makes more sense for you to move in here, Troy. While the apartment is nice and all, mom won't make you pay rent unless you insist. You could cut back on your work hours until the summer and we'd have more time to spend together."

With a sigh, he conceded the point. "I know it makes more sense financially. I'm not arguing that and it's not that I don't _want_ to move back here... but this _is_ your mom's house and the apartment… that's _ours_. Our rules, our space; our terms." His smile was slightly crooked. "Not to mention my lease isn't up until the end of January."

"Oh." Gabriella wrapped her arms around her knees and pressed her chin to the tops of her knees. "End of January, huh?"

"It just occurred to me."

"Hmm. Well... I guess that means I move in with you."

"You don't have to." Troy winced as he said the words, but knew they had to examine all of the angles. "I mean, your mom doesn't leave until the second, right?"

"I _want_ to move in with you," she objected. "And I really don't like the idea of being here all by myself."

"So let's compromise. I keep my apartment until the lease is up, but we spend the odd night here. That way we don't set a pattern and there's still someone living here."

"It's twice your rent though."

He waved it away. "If your mom is willing to wave rent until we move in for good, I promise I won't let my male ego get bent out of shape."

"You have one?" she teased, easing her grip on her legs. "So what do we do tomorrow?"

"It's moving day - so we move."

"Huh? I thought you just said..."

"I said we live at both places - kind of a trade off."

"That's not going to work, Troy."

"Why not? We move some of your stuff to my place - what you've already packed - but leave your bed here along with half your clothes. I'll move half my stuff here, but leave my bed at my place."

"So... no furniture."

"Right," he was warming to the idea. "It means you don't have to change your address, I don't change mine until the end of January ... plus there's room in the driveway for a hoop."

"Ah!" Gabriella didn't have to pretend to look affronted. "So _that's_ the reason you want to move here."

Laughing, Troy finally straightened and moved back to the bed, seating himself next to her so his hip touched hers and placed his left arm on the other side of her with a teasing grin. "You didn't think I was thinking about moving here for _you_ did you?"

"Couldn't be, you keep pulling back."

His expression turned serious as he reached out to brush a strand of hair from her face. "Two days Gabriella."

Sucking in a sharp breath, she realized she hadn't been the only one counting down the days - except Troy didn't know her 'week' was typically five; not seven.

His gin suddenly turned impish. "Consider this fair warning - in the mean time I intend to learn everything I can about how to drive you wild."


	27. Unexpected Surprises: Part 2

_Unexpected Surprises - December 19__th_

_Part 2_

In the end, Gabriella and Troy only spent a few more minutes in the basement, finally agreeing to the temporary measure of both places - providing her mother was willing to wave Troy paying rent in exchange for Gabriella not paying rent at his place. Knowing her mother, she'd just be happy they were going to be around to look after the place.

Moving the little things later that day would take next to no time and, with the intention of them _eventually_ moving into her mother's place full time, it didn't make sense to move any of the furniture. As it was, Troy figured he'd probably just sell or toss whatever he didn't intend to keep when the time came.

They returned to his place, but the mood, despite the simmering tensions, had been lost and Gabriella's sudden shyness whenever his gaze dropped below her neckline was something neither of them had expected. Troy didn't say anything about it and Gabriella found herself wondering if he'd liked what he'd seen. She didn't know and couldn't be objective since he was seeing a sight she was used to since hitting puberty.

Falling into bed, they'd curled close together - the twin didn't really allow for anything else - and Gabriella stared at the opposite wall for the most of the night, reviewing what had happened in her mind. The delicious sensation of having him pressed and rubbing so intimately against her - even through cloth - was enough to stir her hormones and leave her sleepless. The ache between her thighs hadn't disappeared, though it had eased somewhat, and made sleeping next to the object of her desires almost impossible. She tossed and turned, struggling to assuage that ache, except it didn't help - and Troy, blast him, seemed to have had no problem falling asleep.

Of course, he'd worked all day and then gone to basketball practice - the poor guy was probably tuckered out.

Disentangling herself from his grasp, she glanced at the clock and found it was just after three in the morning. Tiptoeing out of the bedroom, she closed the door most of the way behind her and ducked into the washroom. Closing and locking the door, she turned to stare at herself in the mirror. With a decisive move, she pulled the t-shirt - one of Troy's - over her head. Staring at her naked torso, she cocked her head and tried to see what he saw.

It didn't work.

Lifting her hands, she cupped her breasts, lifting them slightly higher - though they in no way sagged - and brushed her finger tips across her nipples. It tingled, sending a deliciously warm sensation curling through her, but didn't feel anything like when Troy touched her. Releasing herself, she pulled the shirt back over her head, shivering with the delicious friction, and sat down on the toilet seat, sliding her hands into her hair in frustration.

Two days. Two days before Troy thought her body was finished its monthly torture. Two days before Troy would make good on his promise. Two days before he would even consider consummating their relationship. Two days of teasing and taunting as he drove them to the brink again and again before pulling away. Two days.

It had never before seemed like a lifetime.

Unless she did something about it. It wasn't that she _couldn't_ have sex, or like she was bleeding as heavily as before, in fact, her course was as good as finished; with how wound up and aroused she was, even the occasional spotting probably wouldn't occur. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the thoughts away before considering doing something rash - like seducing her boyfriend in the middle of the night. A little devil in the corner of her mind thought it anyway and asked the inevitable question:

Why not?

With a frustrated sigh - and knowing it was entirely Troy's fault for leaving her so unfulfilled; and her own for not knowing how to fix it herself - she escaped from the bathroom and headed into the living room, checking in on Troy to ensure he still slept. Flicking on one weak lamp, she collected a pen and her notebook from where it had been left on the table - except she didn't focus on her school work.

Instead, she drew a table of pros and cons for going back into the bedroom and waking Troy right that moment so he'd do _something_ about the hot, coiled ball of want low in her stomach and the ache between her thighs. She didn't care _what_ he did, just so long as he did _something_. Tapping the tip of the pen vigorously against the table, she vented her frustration on her notebook.

The tube escaped from her finger tips, hitting the carpet and rolling beneath the low bottom panel of the coffee table. Tossing her notebook aside, she slid to the floor and reached beneath it, searching for her pen - and her fingers encountered the spine of a book. Frowning, she pushed the table - and froze.

A familiar yellow and black cover stared up at her from the floor.

Hesitantly, her fingers drew near and she snatched it up, glancing guiltily towards the bedroom as she did. There was no sound of stirring, which meant he wouldn't know if she just glanced at it, right? Turning the book over in her hands, she contemplated the wisdom of delving into it, knowing Troy would probably tease her mercilessly if he caught her with it.

Deciding it was worth the risk to see what had him so interested, Gabriella settled into the couch, tucking her feet underneath her and into the hem of the shirt as she began to read. The index was self explanatory and the book divided up into twenty nine chapters, with five basic parts. _Part 1: Getting Ready for Sex. Part 2: Doing It_. She giggled softly; even in the book sex was referred to as "it". _Part 3: Different Strokes_. Her curiosity caught, she glanced at the chapters Part 3 covered.

_Chapter 13: Enjoying Oral Sex_

_Chapter 14: Savoring Solo Play and Fantasy_

_Chapter 15: Keeping Up with Cybersex and Other Hot Stuf_

_Chapter 16: Celebrating Same-Sex Relationships_

_Chapter 17: Conquering the Challenges of Mature Sex_

_Chapter 18: Thriving Sexually with Illness of Disability_

Okay, so the last four didn't catch her interest, but the first two...

Without checking on the last sections of the book, Gabriella flipped to Part 3, page 185 and - moving Troy's page marker aside - began to read, grinning at the caption for the toon at the start of it. A quick flip to the beginning of Part 2 showed they were a regular occurrence, so she bypassed it, moving onto the start of the chapter heading "_Leaving Him Breathless; What Men Like_". Skimming over the structured paragraphs, her interested was caught and held by the bulleted numbers and their instructions...

_**1. Both partners should be in comfortable positions.**_

_You may have seen pictures of a woman on her knees while the man stands above her, and this position has its advantages, as I explain below. But if a woman is uncomfortable in this position and this is a man's way of proving his domination, then that's not a good idea. However, if she's kneeling on a pillow, this position can work comfortably for both partners._

_**2. The partners giving oral sex starts by gently fondling the man's penis with his or her hands.**_

_Some men will have an erection just from the expectation of receiving oral sex, while others, particularly older men, use oral sex as the means of obtaining an erection. In the latter cases, oral sex may be thought of as foreplay to intercourse._

Troy, she thought absently, didn't have _that_ particular dysfunction.

_**3. After the man starts to get an erection, lick the penis or place it in your mouth.**_

_While the tongue is certainly an important part of the process, you can lightly nibble the penis with your teeth, give light kisses with your lips, or suck the penis with your mouth. But please, no biting._

Gabriella stared at the paragraphs, wide-eyed, the _image_ those instructions left sending a particularly hot flash through her system. Kneel in front of Troy and take his... oh my... oh _my_... turning the page, her eyes quickly skimmed to the next instructional number.

_**4. Stimulate the underside of the head of the penis, the place where he has the most sensitivity.**_

_If you're facing the man, as you are when on your knees while he is standing, then your tongue will be in the right place to do this. If you're upside down, such as in the 69 position (see "assuming the Position" later in this chapter), you may want to use your- _

_FLASH!_

Gabriella jerked upright at the sudden burst of light, her eyes jumping from the fascinating reading straight to the dancing blue orbs of the man to whom the book belonged. Realizing he'd caught her with the book, she snapped it shut and thrust it behind her back, blushing.

Troy, for his part, arched his eyebrows - and lowered his phone, flipping it shut. "Should I invest in a copy?"

"You... I..." Her cheeks grew warmer and she blurted out the first thing she could think of. "I found it under the coffee table."

"Of _course_ you did." Dressed in just his boxers, there was far too much skin on display for her comfort level and the heat in her cheeks quickly blossomed into another kind of heat. One that spiraled down her spine, making her feel flushed and overly warm as it curled around the knot of desire that had never gone away. "Read anything interesting?"

To Gabriella's ears, it sounded like a challenge. "Maybe," she hedged, releasing the book and sliding her feet off the edge of the couch. "I guess it depends on what you consider to fall under that definition."

"I guess," he returned with a sparkle in his gaze, "it depends on if you started at the beginning of the book or not."

Gabriella stood, and stepped towards him. "Maybe," she repeated. Taking another step, she reached out to grasp his phone and tossed it to the couch with the book, and took that final step close enough that she was within his embrace - but not yet touching him. Standing up on tip toes, she flicked the tip of her tongue against the edge of his mouth. "But maybe I didn't."

"Anything... _helpful_?"

"_Educational p_erhaps; _useful_ might be a more accurate description."

"Tease." He accused with her coy comeback, not reaching out to touch her just yet. He seemed to know she had something in mind.

But he wasn't prepared when she reached out her hand and planted it firmly over his crotch. His head turned, blue clashing with brown as their eyes locked and she deliberately squeezed gently - and his body reacted to that grip. The organ under her fingers had been semi-hard when she'd touched it only to balloon in moments to fill her hand. Arching her eyebrows at the swift reaction, her fingers flexed and Troy went completely rigid, his hands clenching at his sides.

"Eager, Wildcat?"

"Gabriella..." her name was agonized. "You're playing with fire."

"I thought I was playing with _you_."

"One and the same. It's no - _ohhh!" _

Troy's eyes slid half-shut and his head tilted backwards as the heel of her hand rubbed against the tip and then downwards towards, covering his length in even, firm pressure. Her hand seemed to focus on the underside, where he was most sensitive and he was unaware she was testing the knowledge she'd just acquired.

"_Gabriella_..."

"Troy?"

Something in her questioning tone drew his complete attention - despite the fact she had a hold of his family jewels. His eyes opened as he forced himself to focus on her face. Gabriella's grip was firm, but there was something in her expression that was anything _but_ confident.

Screwing up her courage, she voiced her insecurity before it ate away at her confidence. "Did... you liked what you saw earlier? You didn't mind?"

"Mind? Liked what I..." A completely incredulous expression crossed his face. "You're _gorgeous_."

"You always think I'm gorgeous."

Reaching out one hand, he tipped her chin so he could see her gaze more clearly, trembling as he fought to keep a hold of his control. "I have _never_ seen a more sexy or provocative sight in my life."

"Really?"

"Really."

Troy's lips came down on hers, putting everything he was feeling - including the touch of desperation her grip set off within him - into that kiss. She needed reassurance, he gave it. She needed passion; he gave it. She needed to be wanted; he gave it more than willingly - and she melted into him, her hand caught between them, and pressing solidly against his length in an open palmed cradle that made him groan. His hands slid down her body, caressing her through his shirt and igniting the fires that had been burning just below the surface since their impromptu play in her mother's basement.

Except this time there was no one to interrupt them - and without realizing it, they crossed the point of no return.

His hands didn't remain occupied for long in any one place as they raced across the thin barrier of fabric. They settled low on her thighs as he bent in to continue kissing her, his finger tips toying with the hem. His lips left hers, trailing a line to her ear. Hoarse and filled with need, he said the words she hadn't been totally convinced she'd ever hear after her self-exploration in the washroom.

"I want to see you again."

And her heart soared.

His lips shifted to her neck, waiting for her answer - and Gabriella could barely voice it, her head jerking in a nod as she gasped out the reply he wanted to hear.

"Yes."

Troy released her for a moment, his fingertips curling around the hem before pulling it up with one, straight move. They were both shaking, anticipation making them clumsy as her hands fell away from him and they were thrown upwards. It caught about her elbows for a moment before Troy eased it upwards with his thumbs and the shirt skimmed off, leaving her in nothing but her panties.

Azure fire burned in his gaze as it swept down her body, the hunger reflected in his orbs speaking to her on a primal level and echoing back to him in hers. The cool air of the apartment caressed her heated skin and her nipples, already tight, contracted painfully from that look. They reached for each other at the same moment, flesh meeting flesh as her breasts flattened against his chest and he kissed her again. There was a hunger to his kiss this time, a touch of desperation she understood too well as his hands swept down her body again.

Her arms locked around his neck as she lifted her leg as she had back in the bedroom at her mother's place, sliding up the back of his, her toes curled around the back of his bare calf. Sliding her fingers into his hair, she twisted her head to kiss him more fully. Her tongue curled around his in a deliberate mimic of the way her leg was curling about his body.

Not one to be led for long, Troy's hands slid possessively down her back to cup her buttocks. Grasping her tightly, he pulled her upwards, onto her toes, before pulling her completely off her feet. Her knee bent, and he caught it, hooking it over his hip as their bodies aligned, sliding against one another intimately.

Troy suddenly groaned - agonized - breaking the kiss to touch his forehead to hers. "Two days; I forgot."

"It's okay," she smiled reassuringly, blushing slightly. "It's as good as done."

"Really?"

"It wouldn't matter anyway - there'd be a little blood one way or the other."

He inhaled sharply, tilting his head to look at her uncertainly. "Are you sure?"

"I've never been _more_ sure, Troy. I want you. I want to be yours in every way."A shaky laugh escaped her lips as she took his face in her hands. "Just not on the living room floor."

Her offhand remark eased some of the tension between them - and Troy shifted his grip on her. A turn of his hips, and sweep of his arms brought the hand under her knee down and around so he caught both of her legs on his forearm, one bare thigh tense under his hand as it settled on the outside of it. His lips found hers again as he moved back towards the bedroom.

The darkness inside the bedroom was lit only by the soft glow through the curtains - but Troy didn't need light to find the bed and he strode forward, waiting until his shins hit the side before releasing her legs. As her body slid down his once again, he felt compelled to give her a way out and the words came out slightly strangled.

"Last chance, Gabriella."

Her answer was designed to leave no doubt in _his_ mind that this was what she wanted. Her hands, still tangled in his hair, tugged and her lips covered his. Pressing herself forward, she shivered as the friction of skin on skin set of an inferno of sensation from head to toe, a sense of urgency coiling within her tied to that knot of desire that had been slowly immolating her ability to think.

Reluctance had no place between them anymore.

Troy's research made more sense based on the small excerpt she'd read - and it made complete sense as to why he was suddenly so confident and less restrained. His fears had been eased. Not erased, but minimized, and his hands were everywhere as they began to memorize her near-naked body.

The need to touch him as he was her drew her hands downwards - and the world suddenly tilted as she was caught in free fall. Trusting him completely, she wasn't at all surprised when they hit the mattress - registering the fact somewhere in the back of her mind. Taking his weight, her legs shifted, opening to him and pressing the ridge of his erection flush against her core once more as a gasp escaped her. Tilting her hips, she brought them into near perfect alignment and he hissed, breaking their kiss to roll away.

Gabriella followed, reaching for him in the dark - and found him sitting up. Her hands splayed across the tense muscles of his back as she crawled forward, pressing herself against him and nipping the nape of his neck. His body shuddered as her hands wandered, sliding down his chest, across that incredibly tight washboard stomach and to the hem of his boxers. "As much as I want you to make me yours, Wildcat," she purred softly into his ear. "I also want to make _you, mine_."

His head fell back as she slid her hand into the band of his boxers, the fabric straining with the strength of his need and one hand clamped down around hers as she slid her fingers over the head of his erection. "Not yet."

Startled by his ragged rejection, she began to ease her hand away, recoiling - but Troy wouldn't let her.

His head turned, catching her off guard with a broken kiss. "Lie back."

"I want to feel you, Troy."

"You will," he promised huskily. "But not if you keep that up; I'll be done before anything more can happen - I want you too badly."

Those words made her blush - but he couldn't see it in the semi-darkness. Instead she eased away, lying back as he'd told her. Troy turned when she stopped moving, stretching out beside her. His hand reached out to caress and fondle her breast for a moment before his mouth took its place, brushing feather soft kisses around the mound - but never across the aching tip. She writhed on the bed, almost coming up off it as his hand slid downwards to cup the fabric covered mound at the apex of her thighs just as his lips closed about her nipple.

Instinct had her pressing her thighs together at the unfamiliar intrusion - and Troy instead stroked the soft flesh, allowing her to get used to having his hand there. The tension in _his_ frame was noted in the back of her mind - except she was too lost in sensation as his fingers slipped under the side of her panties and stroked along the line where they'd lain. Her whole body jerked, her legs sliding back and forth restlessly as she tossed her head to the side.

His touch was torture and heaven all at the same time.

Troy lifted his head, kissing his way up her body until his lips touched her ear - and his fingers slid across the swollen lips of her sex. Crying out, her hips jerked forward as he traced the slick folds for the first time and brushed against her clit. He did it again, and the coiled knot within her wound tighter, her hands clenching in the covers.

"_Troy_..."

Her plea didn't go unanswered as he slid one finger inside, testing her body's reaction and he ducked in head to her shoulder with a groan, imagining the tight walls that bore down on his finger, bearing down on the throbbing part of his anatomy that was pressed tightly against her hip. Deliberately, he focused on sliding that finger in and out of her, finding little to no resistance thanks to her state of arousal and added another.

She choked on a gasp as the heel of his hand pressed against her clit again, her knuckles turning white. "I... Tr..._oy_..."

"Easy." he urged softly, pressing a kiss to her neck, his fingers stretching her inner walls with gentle massaging motions even as he spoke. "Just let it happen."

Thrashing her head to the side in wordless denial, Troy fastened his lips against the joint of her shoulder and neck and sucked softly. Pressing down with the heel of his hand, he turned his wrist and she let out a scream that was his name as the coiled knot burst. Troy's lips covered hers, swallowing her cry as her body convulsed about his fingers, the warm wetness of her orgasm lubricating her further. As her body relaxed, Troy continued to touch her, stroking her inner walls with his fingers.

Slowly, coming down off the euphoric high, Gabriella's grip had eased on the covers and she lifted one hand to the back of his head, lacing her fingers through his hair as she kissed him back. Using non-verbal signals, and still in the throes of the experience, she tilted her hips again to his hand - and gasped into his mouth. The knot of desire hadn't dissipated as she'd thought, only diminished and already it was growing again, fed and fueled by his touch.

He was shaking, and Gabriella somehow knew that if they were doing to do this, now was the time. Breaking the kiss, she held his head where she could see his eyes. "Now, Troy," she begged, nudging him with her hip. "Please..."

It seemed he'd been waiting for a signal as his hand withdrew. Her body protested the loss and he used the tilt of her hips to take her panties down and off. His touch disappeared for a moment before he returned to her side, stretching out against her naked for the first time.

Gabriella didn't savor the sensation, or marvel at it as she'd once expected she would - instead it made her impatient. Grabbing his shoulders, she threw her hip over his - and stopped. Lying facing one another, the trembling tip of him was poised almost perfectly against her slick entrance. Troy rolled her to her back, keeping her legs parted as he settled between them. His lips found hers for a brief fierce kiss that felt somewhat like an apology.

And then his fingers dipped between them again to brush against her clit and her hips tilted of their own accord. The throbbing head of his sex slid against hers and, using the back of his hand against her as guidance, a jerk of his hips had him within her. Not far - just enough that the foreign sensation made her gasp to his groan as the walls just inside the lips of her sex clutched his for the first time.

Troy braced himself on his free arm above her now that he'd gained entrance - and eased forward. Slowly, using the slickness from her previous orgasm, his jaw clenched painfully as he slid forward fractionally and retreated before doing so again. His eyes closed as the feel of her so tightly around him forced him to stop or lose it right there - and then Gabriella shifted beneath him.

His control slipped and his hips jerked forward, his forehead dropping to hers as he gasped for air, sweat having beaded on his body and now stinging his eyes - a physical manifestation of what this control was costing him. Reaching down between them, he slid his hand to where they were partially joined, able to feel the barrier of her hymen.

Brushing against her clit, he focused on what he'd read, using it as a source of control and knowledge all at the same time, her body arching off the bed as he slid out and then in. It was her hips that jerked forward as he pressed against the sensitized bundle of nerves. The move drove him deeper - to the hilt, breaking through the thin barrier of flesh that marked her a virgin, and he froze with a groan, shaking violently.

Gabriella tensed for a moment, as if belatedly registering pain, except she was already in the throes of pleasure as his thumb circled and feathered, her body demanding more - demanding release for the second time that night - as she moved her hips to get the friction she craved. Clinging to him, she tilted her head as her nails dug into his shoulders.

Gasping her name in a true apology, Troy's control snapped as instinct took over.

His lips fastened over hers as he used the friction created by thrusting in and out of her to brush his fingers against her clit. It took only moments of that swift advance and retreat before she tensed beneath him, her whole body going rigid and bowing up into his. The inner walls of her sex clamped down around his, tightening and pulsing and cascaded into his own release.

Spots of light exploded in his vision as he tore his lips from hers, clutching her fiercely as he shook, his body jerking from the force of it and his own hoarse cry lost somewhere under the echo of hers.

They collapsed to the bed, Troy having the presence of mind to brace his weight on his forearms so not to crush her and they remained joined intimately as his forehead touched hers. Gasping for breath, his eyes closed, Troy wondered if he'd ever be able to move again, a distant corner of his brain marveling at his ability to support any part of himself up at the moment.

Gentle hands touched his face and his eyes opened with difficulty, meeting the serious brown orbs of the young woman who'd just blown his mind - and his ability to think clearly. Despite the semi-darkness, he had no trouble making out the concern in her gaze.

"Are you okay?"

He chuckled weakly, taking a minute to formulate his reply. "Isn't that my line?"

"Are you?"

"I think you killed me." Pushing up on his forearms with a great deal of effort, he tossed his head to get his bangs out of his eyes, his strength slowly returning. "Are _you_ okay?"

"Mmm hmmm," her lips curved into a smile he could only describe as shyly satisfied as her hands slipped from his face and slid down his neck to caress his chest.

"Is that a yes?"

"Definitely."

Exhaling softly, he dipped his head to brush a kiss across her lips, his own finally spreading into a relieved smile as he smoothed her hair along her brow. "I was afraid I hurt you."

"No more than I did you. I'm okay, Troy. I promise."

Rolling away, his body slipped from hers - and it was only at that moment when his brain was starting to work again that he realized what he'd done. He thrust his hands into his hair, gripping tightly as he stared at the dark ceiling. "Oh no. No. _No_!"

"What is it? What's wrong?"

He groaned, flipping on the bed side lamp, he looked back at Gabriella with a pained expression, her own worried. "I might have hurt you worse than I thought."

"But you didn't hurt me."

"I also didn't protect you." he turned away, dropping his face into his hands as he braced his elbows on his knees. "Stupid," he cursed himself softly. "Stupid, stupid, _stupid_."

"Troy..."

"I know better."

Shifting, she winced, but forced herself to move and rose up on her knees. Reaching across the bed, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "You also know your biology. Today is about the safest day of the month. As long as we don't make it a habit, we'll be fine."

"You're not supposed to be understanding about this."

"I'm as much as fault as you are," she insisted softly, rubbing her cheek against his. "I didn't think about it either."

He curled his hands around her forearms, kissing one. "I don't deserve you."

"Maybe not," she teased gently. "But you're mine now and I'm not letting you go."

Straightening, he turned to look at her - and saw her wince. Chagrin covered his features and he turned, sweeping her into his arms. "I did hurt you."

"The soreness is natural. It'll pass."

Pressing her back to the mattress on his side of the bed, he smiled faintly. "Wait here."

Gabriella pushed herself up on her elbows as Troy left the bedroom, seemingly unaware that he was still naked - it made her blush. She'd _felt_ every inch of him, but hadn't actually _seen_ him. He was all chiseled muscle and cat-like grace. Wildcat was a better nick name for him that she'd realized. She could hear water running for a minute and the silence. He appeared a moment later with a towel and washcloth in hand. "What are you doing?"

He sat on the edge of the bed next to her, the towel lying across his thighs, the cloth in hand. "I... thought you might want to clean up."

Her blush deepened, but she nodded and didn't fight him as he gently spread her legs and began to bathe her. He was careful, meticulous in his attention - and in the time it took to get her clean, she could see he was _appreciating_ the sights. The wash cloth was finally put aside and he took up the towel to pat her dry. He took his time, careful to be gentle, before folding the towel to place it on the slightly damp sheet. Shivering, and a touch shy about their new intimacy, she felt a blush crawling across her skin. Troy seemed to understand and wordlessly collected his shorts and a long shirt he'd worn the day before, stepping back into his garment before he helped her pull the shirt over her head.

Reaching up, he turned off the light - and slid in on the side she'd been occupying before pulling the covers up to cover them both. He drew her back against him tightly and he brushed a kiss over her cheek. "You're my everything, Gabriella. You know that, right?"

She wrapped her arms around his, holding him close as she tilted her head back his way. "I do."

Completely undone -despite his lack of caution - at his caring for her, she simply tightened her grasp and held on, trying to convey the same through her touch since her throat wouldn't open to say anything more. He was all solicitous concern, letting her shift in his grasp until she found a comfortable position and then wrapped himself about her, his head tucked close to hers. It was how she drifted off the sleep within the comfort of his embrace.

----------

**Author's Note :** The quote from Sex For Dummies is a direct excerpt from Chapter 13, Pages 189 and 190.

Now, so everyone is aware I toyed with another couple of versions of this before settling on my original – what you see above. No; they didn't have to jump straight in – but at this point I think the tensions are high enough between them something..._ unplanned_ occurred. They'd discussed taking the step; they simply hadn't done so yet.

The fact that they slept together _in the dark_ is deliberate; it's to showcase a couple of things.

1) There's still a lot they have to learn about one another and 2) Now, with the tension broken, they can focus on those other steps they missed

Of course, it also creates conflict... but that's for next chapter.


	28. Unexpected Surprises: Part 3

**Author's Note: **Okay, this day is turning out far longer than I planned with everything I need to include so yeah... there will be 5 parts - maybe 6 - before we reach the "weekend"

Oh and a friend of mine has this as her signature in her e-mail and I couldn't resist sharing;

Quote: "Physics is like sex. Sure, it may give some practical results, but that's not why we do it." - Richard Feynman

_Unexpected Surprises - December 19__th_

_Part 3_

It was the ringing of a cell phone that brought Troy out of slumber later that morning. Besides him, Gabriella didn't stir, still deeply asleep and exhausted from their earlier activities. Reaching across her, he fumbled on the bedside table and grabbed the offending device, tempted to throw it across the room. Instead he tried to flip it open with his eyes closed.

His fingers fumbled with it before he heard the familiar click of it opening and brought it to his ear with a groan. "If you're calling for anything _but_ an emergency, I may have to kill you."

"_And if you're anyone _but _Troy Bolton, I might have to kill _you _after I give Gabriella a piece of my mind._"

"Taylor?"

"_Oh good, it is you. Where's Gabriella_?"

"She's sleeping," he kept his voice down, though his eyes had opened when he realized to whom he was speaking. "Why are you calling to talk to her on my phone?"

"_Did you two trade phones_?"

"No."

"_Then why are you answering _Gabriella's_ phone_?"

Troy blinked and pulled the phone away from his ear, looking at it. Sure enough it was her phone not his - and it was at that moment he remembered where his was. On the couch in his living room along with his _Sex for Dummies _book that he'd caught her reading - and the full memory of what had transpired that morning hit him with the force of a speeding train.

"_Troy_?"

Taylor's voice was a distant annoyance under the barrage of memories that flooded through his brain.

"_Troy? Are you still there?_"

Somehow, amid it all, he put the phone to his ear. "She'll call you back later, Taylor." Sliding the phone shut on Taylor's protest, he tossed it in the direction of the door, his gaze on the young woman who still slept on, oblivious to his morning revelations.

Gabriella was his, well and truly his, in every way. Awed and humbled, he slid his arms back around her, nuzzling her neck through the curtain of silky hair that lay against it. Sighing in her sleep, she curled back against him - but he felt the wince that crossed her face as she did.

Guilt assailed him.

He'd expected the necessary evil of hurting her _during_ the act, not having her suffer in the aftermath. "Gabriella?"

The phone across the room rang, but Troy ignored it - that Taylor wouldn't be happy with him was the furthest thing from his mind. A glance at the clock showed it to be just after nine thirty - and Gabriella's doctor's appointment was at eleven.

"Gabriella, it's time to wake up."

She frowned in her sleep, her head falling away and Troy smiled faintly. Using the knowledge he'd gained over the last while as to the most sensitive places on her body, he started with the nape of her neck and began feathering kisses across the sensitive skin.

Whispering his name, her neck arched into his lips, trying for firmer contact. He shifted, feathering kisses just above the loose collar that hung low enough to offer him a glimpse of the swell of one breast. He slid his lips across it and she sighed softly. Leaving that tempting area, pulled a page from her book and kissed her; brushing his lips across hers, he chuckled softly at her belated reactions, her lips pursing to meet his kiss long seconds after his lips had moved - and her frustration was obvious.

Bracing himself on one forearm, he rolled her gently to her back - careful not to hurt her - drawing a soft sound of protest which he silenced with a sweetly tender kiss. He didn't pull back again until he felt her stir more beyond the initial glimpses at consciousness and watched as her eyelids fluttered, gently stroking the back of one finger down her cheek as she woke. Her brown orbs were almost black when her lashes finally lifted and a small, shy smile tilted her lips.

"Good morning, beautiful."

"Mmm, 'morning." she replied softly, a blush staining her cheeks - and he had no doubt she remembered what had happened earlier that morning.

Troy kissed her properly this time, taking his time as the jangle of her phone continued in the background. When he finally broke the kiss she was clinging to him with a smile that was almost identical to his own. Smiles that spoke of the love they shared - and the awe of finally consummating the physical side of it with such volatility.

Who said books were always right?

"Now it's a good morning," she returned, her tone slightly teasing as she echoed his retort from the previous morning - and then she surprised him. "We're _not_ moving into my mother's house."

Troy blinked in surprise. "Oh?"

The hot color that tinted her face didn't affect the steadiness of her gaze on his. "She'd know in a heartbeat what was happening."

"I love your oh so practical side." He laughed softly, touching his forehead to hers.

"Practical has nothing to do with it," she objected and then paused. "Is that my phone?"

"Taylor called - I told her you'd call her back."

"You answered my phone?"

His expression turned apologetic. "I was half asleep and I thought it was mine."

"I bet she loved that. Did she tear a strip off you?"

"I hung up on her."

Gabriella laughing and shifted, wincing as she did and drawing Troy back to the reason he'd woken her in the first place. He placed one hand in the center of her chest and pushed her back to the bed. Climbing out, he bent, scooping her into his arms so she wouldn't have to walk. "How's a bath sound?"

"Heavenly, but I don't think I have time. It's Friday, right?"

"We'll make time." Troy wasn't going to take no for an answer. If she was going to be poked and prodded by the doctor, she would be comfortable before getting there. He carried her into the washroom and set her on the counter by the sink with a quick brush of his lips across her cheek. "Twenty minutes isn't going to hurt, and it might make you feel better."

She couldn't argue with his logic as he turned and knelt by the tub. She didn't speak, reaching her arms towards the ceiling in a stretch as Troy filled the tub. It was amusing and endearing to watch as he carefully measured out some of the bubble bath he'd bought her on a whim, insisting she have something to relax with if she wanted it, stirring it into the water with liberal strokes - and then adding more.

The bubbles and steam rising from the water was inviting and Gabriella started to slide off the counter; the water always felt better if you let it climb up your body. Troy caught her moving and spun, taking the single step to her side and pinning her back to the counter top. "Going somewhere, Miss Montez?"

"I was thinking of enjoying my bath from the start, Mister Bolton."

"It's a no clothes zone. Arms up."

"Troy!"

He simply cocked his head and looked at her - and the remorse in his gaze caught her attention. Her breath lodged in her throat as it slammed into her chest with the strength of a punch. Her hands flew to her lips. "You... No... please no..."

"Gabriella?"

She turned her gaze away, to the side, tears flooding her eyes and she closed them before he could see. He couldn't be regretting what they'd shared, he just couldn't!

"Sweetheart?"

The endearment fell from his lips so easily - yet it was so foreign to their relationship it drew her head up the way nothing else could have. His cerulean eyes were pools of worry, all regret banished by concern and confusion. He didn't understand her reaction.

"Please.. tell me you don't... that we..."

"That I don't what, Gabriella?"

"You didn't want last night to happen, did you?"

His reaction was gratifying. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped in shock. Denial was written all over his posture, and her spirits were buoyed by it.

"Is... that a no?"

"I didn't plan or expect last night to happen but I don't _regret_ it, that's for sure." Searching her face, understanding dawned and he cupped her face in both hands, brushing his thumbs over her cheeks. "What I _regret_ is that I didn't protect you like I should have. I regret that I had to hurt you at all and that you're hurting this morning after something that was so... so...." he floundered, looking for the right description.

"Magical?"

"Exactly; magical. Even if it hadn't been, I would _never_ have regretted it. I've read enough to know that two virgins aren't normally capable of making love like that."

"No?"

He shook his head. "Usually it's a much more awkward affair from what I've been reading. It's nice to be the exception."

"I think we _are_ the exception, Wildcat." Her hands covered his, twining their fingers together. "Why should this be any different?"

Brushing a kiss across her still swollen lips, he reclaimed his hands and pulled her from the sink counter. Carrying her to the tub, he placed her feet first into the steaming water - and caught the hem of his shirt as his hands pulled away, sweeping it up and off her. If he hadn't already been aroused, he would certainly have been by then - but he held himself firmly in check. Gabriella was hurting this morning and he wasn't going to do anything that could cause her more pain.

The shirt was dropped behind him somewhere as he offered his arms. She accepted them gladly, flinching as she bent, and he eased her down into the still running water. A soft sigh escaped her as she settled in and the heat soothed tense and sore muscles. Whatever she'd been expecting when it came to the aftermath of her - of _their_ - first time, the soreness was a surprise.

Troy, on the other hand, wasn't a surprise. After the care he'd shown her, it came as no shock that he tried to wash her - but she declined.

"I just want to soak, Troy," she told him honestly, waving the proffered cloth away. "I didn't realize how sore I was."

"No wonder," he told her with a faint smile. "You didn't move at all."

"Neither did you I bet."

"Exactly, but I'm not the one who worked completely foreign muscle groups last night." he dipped the cloth into the water and ran it over the exposed skin of her knee. "Somehow it doesn't seem fair you're sore this morning."

"It's a good ache," she assured him with a faint smile, leaning her head back against the rim as she slid down into the water. "It lets me know that last night wasn't just a dream."

"Have you dreamt about us before?"

"Nothing that graphic," she admitted shyly, looking at him from the corner of her eye. "Have you?"

He exhaled - and nodded. "A lot - lately anyway."

They shared a smile. Gabriella shifted in the water and inhaled sharply as she spread her legs slightly to get the benefit of the heat. It was soothing, bleeding the tension in her muscles off slowly - and Troy's next statement caught her off guard.

"If we had time, I'd give you a massage."

She blinked, and then burst out laughing. "Troy!"

"What? I would!"

"I don't think you could massage me where I'm most sore, Wildcat." Her eyes fairly twinkled, "But when I get home later, I might be convinced to let you try."

"Gabriella!" He feigned a shocked expression, except there was a hint of merriment in his wide eyed expression. "What happened to my innocent girlfriend?"

"She stayed in Albuquerque."

He laughed, leaning across her to fold the cloth over the soap dish. "I'll leave you to your bath and see what we have for breakfast. I don't know about you, but I'm famished."

"Food, Troy?" She shook her head. "I can't believe you're thinking about _food_."

"Anything to keep from dragging you from that tub - or joining you." He brushed her hair from her face before standing to leave. "I'll come and get you at ten."

----------

Gabriella's mother called while she was in the bath, and Troy silently handed her the phone, his eyes twinkling before he escaped the washroom. He impishly held up five fingers, indicating the amount of time she had left and she shooed him away with her hand before putting the phone to her ear."

"Hi mom."

"_Oh good, you are up. I was worried you'd still be sleeping when Troy answered_."

"He seems to have forgotten where he put his," Gabriella replied dryly. "I'll be ready in about fifteen or twenty minutes; is that too long?"

"_Take thirty if you need it, the doctor's office isn't that far away_." Ms. Montez paused. "_Is that water I hear_?"

"Uh..." Gabriella stilled, trying not to slosh the water, but couldn't bring herself to lie to her mother. It wasn't like her mom thought she and Troy _weren't_ headed for an adult relationship. "I'm in the bath."

There was silence for a long moment on the other end and Gabriella could almost _see_ her mother's thought process. Troy had answered the phone and brought it to Gabriella while she was _naked_ in the bath. A _bath_ on a Friday morning - Gabriella _never _had baths and her mother knew it. Fortunately Ms. Montez chose to let it slide.

"_Are you up for this appointment? We can always reschedule."_

Closing her eyes, she sank back down into the water, that question leaving no doubt in her mind that her mother had guessed - accurately - what she and Troy had done. "I'm fine mom. I'll be ready when you get here, okay?"

"_I'll see you at ten thirty out front. Bye sweetie_."

"Bye." She clicked the phone shut - and her eyes flew wide as Troy gently plucked it from her grasp. "Hey."

"Hey." He looked chagrined. "I was going to tell her you were busy, but she said it was important."

"Not really, she was just being nosey."

"Did you need a hand out?"

Gabriella shook her head, noting that he'd dressed and his faded jeans with long shirt were back - except this shirt was one she remembered well and associated with a lot of happy memories. Plus, it was one of his favorites - a half-sleeved shirt with orange-red arms and white body. Secretly, she believed he had a closet full of them."I think I'll be okay, Troy, I feel much better. Not nearly as sore."

Plucking her towel from the rack, he took two corners in his hands held it out with a faint smile. "Your towel, mi'lady."

"Practicing for tonight?"

He laughed. "I will _never_ do something like this for Angelique. Not on stage _or _off."

"Glad to hear it." She dipped her head back, getting her hair wet, and quickly scrubbed it with shampoo, rinsing before doping the same with the conditioner. A quick rub down with the cloth Troy had left behind earlier - gently in the tenderest areas - and she felt clean. Soapy still, but clean.

Troy re-hung her towel as she scrubbed her hair, fishing under the sink for the bucket he knew he'd put there. While she was occupied he filled it at the sink.

Pulling herself out of the water, Gabriella stood and found that the soreness that had been in her lower half had eased with the heat and - while still a little tender - movement wasn't painful. She pulled the plug before slicking the bubble remnants from her body. Feeling much better, she was about to step from the tub when Troy stopped her.

"Hang on a second." He held up the filled bucket with a grin. "You're still covered in soap."

Understanding what he had in mind, Gabriella closed her eyes - and Troy carefully poured the water over her head and she tilted her face into it. He refilled the bucket a couple of times and repeated the process before announcing she was soap film free. He set aside the bucket and reclaimed her towel.

Squeaky clean, Gabriella stepped from the tub and into the terry cloth - which Troy immediately wrapped around her and used to land her in his embrace. He squeezed her affectionately. "Are you sure you're up for this?"

"There's no better day." Turned her head and slid her cheek along his with a smile. "And you have packing to do if you're going to be moving some of your gear to mom's today."

"Are you all packed?"

"My appointment will only take an hour or so; once we're done, we'll meet you at mom's and I can finish."

"So... noonish?"

"Miss me already, Wildcat?"

Troy's look was semi-sheepish at her tease, well aware he sounded like a hopelessly clingy boyfriend at that moment. "I have this urge to kidnap you," he confessed. "I don't want to let you out of arm's reach right now."

Turning in his embrace, Gabriella lifted her arms free of the towel and locked them around his neck, sliding her fingers through his hair. "Does it help to know there's no place _I'd_ rather be right now either?"

"Yeah." He kissed her gently, brushing his lips over hers. "It does. I'll leave you be to get ready. Food's on the table whenever you're dressed."

Troy withdrew - scooping her phone up on the way out - and left her to her own devices.

Gabriella did what she could in the washroom, an unconscious smile playing about her lips as she brushed her teeth and hair, humming the melodic line of _Breaking Free_ as she did. Mostly restored by the bath, she wrapped the towel about her and stepped from the room.

Troy was sitting on the couch with his back to her, something - she suspected she knew what - open on his lap. Shaking her head, she clutched the towel at her chest. "Still need pointers, Wildcat?"

He didn't, to her annoyance, so much as jump. "I can use all the help I can get," he responded honestly, turning his head to smile at her. "I've got this amazingly tempting girlfriend of mind standing in our living room wearing nothing but a towel and somehow I have to keep my hands off her; keeping them occupied seemed like a good idea."

Laughing, she pulled a trick from his book and winked at him. "Later, Wildcat. There will be plenty of time later."

His smile faded. "Are you still sore?"

"A little, but it'll pass. Go back to your book, Troy; I'll just be a minute."

Troy did as he was told, waiting until he heard the bedroom door close before flipping open his phone again and calling up the picture he'd taken of her the night before. It was rare to catch her completely unaware and he suspected she'd remember eventually that he'd taken it. For now he was going to enjoy looking at the photo; Gabriella had been immersed so completely, her eyes wide as she absorbed whatever information she'd been reading. He would pay good money to know what section she'd been looking at to get that particular look on her face.

Shaking his head, he closed his phone - and it rang.

"Talk to me."

"_Hey man!_"

"Chad!" Troy couldn't keep the surprise from his voice. "Dude, how've you been?"

"_Same old; kicking butt on the court, slacking and behind in homework. How 'bout you?"_

Troy opened his mouth to make some comment about being fantastic - but a voice of caution in the back of his mind held him in check. Chad would want to know why and, while they were as close as brothers, he wasn't about to fill him in. He chose his words carefully, but casually. "Doing good, man. Hey, what do you want for Christmas anyway?"

Chad laughed on the other end. "_Christmas came early when we beat you three weeks ago. What about you - what does Hoops want for Christmas_?"

Blue eyes turned to the closed door, behind which Gabriella was dressing. "Nothing."

"_Nothing?!_"

Jerking the phone away from his ear, Troy winced at the volume of Chad's incredulous exclamation, waiting to ensure it was over before gingerly testing the waters. "Yeah, nothing; I don't need anything, man."

"_Who said anything about need? You're not in Albuquerque this year, dude, surely there's something you want - or should I be having this conversation with Gabriella_?"

"Chad!"

Gabriella opened the door at Troy's affronted tone, a grin on her face. "Hi Chad!"

On the other end of the phone, Chad yelped in surprise. "_Dude, it's _far_ too early for her to be at your place... unless you guys are-_"

"Don't _even _go there," he warned his friend and grimaced at Gabriella, drawing a grin and a giggle. Her skin was practically glowing this morning and his fingers itched to touch it again. Chard was laughing on the other end and Troy tapped his finger along the back of the phone impatiently. "Did you call just to laugh at me, Danforth?"

"_Sorry man, you just sounded so affronted. Say hey to Gabster for me, I haven't seen her since she was whisked back to Stanford after Grad_."

"Chad says hello, back." Troy's eyes twinkled. "He says he misses you."

"_Hey!_"

Gabriella burst into laughter at Chad's indignant outburst - audible where she was slipping into her shoes. "I have to go, mom's probably waiting for me down stairs."

"Hang on a second, Chad," Troy shifted the phone away for a minute. "Are you sure you don't want me to be there? I can - we have all day to pack."

"_Pack?_"

Chad was ignored as Gabriella smiled, crossing the room to drop a light kiss on his cheek and collect her purse. "It's just a doctor's appointment; I'll be fine and I'll call when we're out so you know when to expect us, okay?"

"_Doctor?!_"

"If you're sure."

"I'm sure. Love you, Wildcat."

Troy caught her about the neck and brushed his lips across hers with a smile. "Love you too."

Gabriella secured her purse and headed for the door, disappearing behind it - and leaving the apartment feeling emptier than it had been - before Troy raised the phone to his ear and got blasted.

"_Packing? Doctor? Expecting?! Dude, what have you guys been _doing_?!" _Chad didn't give him a chance to respond. "_Wait, does this mean what I think I mean? Do I get to be uncle Chad?_"

Resisting the urge to smack himself in the forehead with the palm of his hand, Troy stood and began to pace. "You're _totally_ drawing the wrong conclusions here, man."

"_Then you'd better explain before I tell your mother she's going to be a grandma._"

"Do it and you're dead."

"_You and what army?_" snorted the afro haired boy on the other end of the line. "_Your mom would kill you, not me._"

He had a point. "Gabriella is going to her annual physical."

"_Girls only need to do that when there's one thing happening,_" Troy was informed sagely. "_So when did you and her... you know?_"

"Would you get your mind out of the gutter?" Chad was going to get a beating next time Troy saw him. "Didn't you pay attention in school at all? Women are supposed to start getting screened for all sorts of cancers and stuff when they turn 18. It gives the doctor a base line for when they get older."

"_Oh._" The line fell silent and then, "_Gabriella's 18?_"

Troy threw himself back on the couch. "Yeah - as of Sunday. Christmas baby, remember?"

"_Oh yeah - so that's what Tay was trying to remind me of._" He sounded sheepish. "_So what's this about packing, then?_"

"It's complicated, but basically we're moving in together."

"_Dude, it's about freaking time! How is that complicated? You move her stuff to your apartment, right?_"

"Uh... not exactly," Troy rubbed the back of his neck. "Gabriella's mother's moving away after New Year's for about a year and she asked us to take care of her house while she's away."

"_So you're moving in there? Creepy, man, it's her _mother's_ house."_

"I know, but brownie points with the mother of the woman you're intending to marry someday are _not_ a bad thing."

"_You are _so_ whipped,_" teased Chad. "_I bet Gabby loves it. What do the guys on your team think of her?_"

"They... haven't spent a lot of time around her."

"_Troy!_"

"What? These guys aren't like the Wildcats, Chad, they're more..."

"_They're guys, right?_"

"Right."

"_So they appreciate a beautiful woman who happens to be around?_"

"You could say that, but I don't want them to appreciate her up close." Troy stared at the ceiling. "Hey man, do the Red Hawks talk about their girls in the locker room at U of A?"

"_All the time, though nobody's got a girl or a relationship like you've got with Gabriella._" Chad was all teasing. "_It's kinda nice to have a Captain who's not attached to one chick._"

"You guys don't know what you're missing."

"_So says you. It's kind of liberating being single again, man. The cheerleaders are so attentive._"

"I remember," Troy informed him dryly. "And Gabriella's study group made sure she saw the pictures."

"_That didn't cause friction between you two did it?_"

"It could have," Troy allowed, thankful Gabriella wasn't one to jump to conclusions without all of the facts. "If she didn't trust me like she does, it could have been ugly."

"_What, she couldn't have thought you were cheating on her - you?! You haven't _looked_ at another girl since you met her... minus two summers ago when you almost let Sharpay buy you off. But since then..._"

"I would _hope_ we've moved beyond that," Troy informed his friend dryly. "I don't know what she thought, but her friends sure thought I was. But whatever, I'm not going to waste my breath on those two. What're you doing for Christmas this year?"

"_The same - minus crashing at your place for New Year's like I was supposed to. Taylor's in town along with Zeke and Jason and Ryan. Kelsi stayed up at Julliard, something about a Christmas show. _"

"What, no Sharpay?"

"_The Ice Queen will be around somewhere I'm sure. Anyway, we're all getting together at Jason's for a New Year's bash. Throw some hoops since some of the guys are coming and just chill. How about you?"_

"Gabriella-"

"_Wait, wait,_" Chad cut him off. "_Let me guess - you guys are going to go find some place where you can sing at each other, right?_"

"It's our thing."

"_So find a new thing. Something you guys can do with us and not just the two of you._"

"You guys are in Albuquerque for New Year's, man; it's just us here."

"_So talk your team into doing something, go to one of their parties or, better yet, mix your friends and hers._"

"I'm trying to _avoid_ having that happen. You don't understand the rivalry between our schools, Chad; it's like... like if Gabriella had been going to West High when I met her."

"_You wouldn't have kept her from us even if she had been!_"

"No, but I'd known you guys for years. I just don't know how these guys will react when they find out what school she goes to."

"_Chicken, Bolton?"_

"Cautious," Troy corrected him firmly. "I'm not going to risk having them make her uncomfortable or worse, pick on her because of her choice in schools. You know as well as I do she's the main reason I chose UC Berkeley; I don't want anything to happen to her."

"_Choosing your girl over your best friend? You're _so w_hipped, Hoops._" Chad snorted, teasing. "_Isn't hazing illegal in Cali?"_

"Technically, but they wouldn't have to haze her, they could just make her life miserable and I'm sure they're inventive enough to think of ways that won't get them arrested. It's just not something I'm willing to risk yet."

"_So... what's gonna happen when you play Stanford, man? She can't exactly come and watch, cheering for you while wearing her school colors. And if she wears yours, everyone she goes to school with will brand her a traitor._"

"I know," Troy sighed. "We play Stanford on January seventeenth on their turf, so I have until then to think of something."

"_Don't wait, Troy,_" there was no more teasing in Chad's earnest advice. "_The sooner they know, the sooner they can deal with the fact she's going to a rival school and the less likely they are to get swept up in the spirit of the rivalry if you do it before the hype begins._"

"It's already begun; playing Stanford is a huge thing."

"_Be careful, man. I gotta go; will you be around later?_"

"My cell phone will be around _me _later."

"_Good. I'll talk to you then._"

The line died and Troy pulled his phone away from his ear, looking at it thoughtfully. Chad had a point, a very good point, but he wasn't willing to share Gabriella with his team just yet. Especially not after their comments in the locker room the other day and his own insistence they choose another topic of discussion. Closing his phone, he turned it over in his hands.

Still... Gabriella and his team would be interacting at some point and the sooner they got over their prejudice about her attending Stanford the better. Just... not before Christmas. Once Christmas was done, he'd think about it. Turning his attention to the necessity of packing to move half of his gear to Gabriella's, he pocketed his phone and headed for the bedroom.


	29. Unexpected Surprises: Part 4

**Author's Note: ** I figure I'd apologize for making you all wait for this update – except I'm not really sorry. An idea hit me for Troy's eventual proposal (like ya'll didn't know that's where this is headed?) and it ate at my brain until it wouldn't let me write anything else... so yeah, now that it's written, back to our regular scheduled program. And yes, before anyone says anything, the awkwardness is deliberate.

_Unexpected Surprises - December 19__th_

_Part 4_

Gabriella's appointment went about as planned, the male doctor her mother had gotten her appointment with having passed off her file to a female associate of his - and Gabriella was glad for it. Doctor Hodges was a sweet lady in her early thirties with a disposition that helped put Gabriella at ease.

It wasn't until she was seated on the examination table for the part of the physical she'd been dreading the most with the slight soreness between her legs a constant reminder of why, that she felt the first stirrings of apprehension. When the doctor turned, starting to roll on rubber gloves she bit her lip and tried to ignore what she knew was coming. Her own research and previous physicals had dictated her knowledge but never before had this particular aspect bothered her so much. The KY Jelly came out along with several speculums and she shifted nervously, wondering if she should say something.

Doctor Hodges picked up on her nervousness as she placed the instruments she would be using on Gabriella on a nearby tray. "Have you done this before, Gabriella?"

"No, but I've done my research."

"So you've read about what to expect." The Doctor began running one of the speculums under a nearby tap to warm up the metal. "It's virtually painless."

"It's not the pain I'm worried about."

"Your hymen, then?"

Hot color flooded her cheeks. "No."

"Most young women are unless they're sexually active." It was a blunt statement, but said in a conversational way. "Are you sexually active, Gabriella?"

Gabriella paused and then nodded her head, meeting the Doctor's gaze head on. The Doctor placed the speculum aside, turning to face her. "By your color, can I assume this a recent occurrence?"

Nodding, Gabriella swallowed hard. "Very recent."

"_How _recent?"

"This... um..." her color darkened and she couldn't hold that kindly gaze. "This morning."

"Were you both careful?"

Gabriella shook her head, unable to pull her gaze off the floor.

"I see." The Doctor's hands stilled on the instruments she was going to be using. "Any soreness, tenderness?"

"A little."

A smile kicked up one side of the Doctor's mouth. "That's perfectly normal. Any bleeding?"

"I don't... I mean, it was dark - and he... Troy... he... he made sure I... um.. I was comfortable... after." Her face was burning, but somehow she got the words out.

"A gentleman, then?"

Gabriella nodded vigorously.

"You're a lucky lady, Gabriella Montez, not everyone's first time is with a man like that." The Doctor smiled kindly. "Now, lie back so I can examine you; I promise I'll keep this gentle since I know you're still sore."

Gabriella did as instructed, focusing on the doctor's words rather than what she was doing. The doctor's hands were gentle as she began her intimate inspection.

"So you and - Troy is it?

"Yes."

"He's your... boyfriend?"

"For almost two years." Gabriella told her, staring at the ceiling. "We were together in the last year and a half of High school."

"Ah. High school sweethearts."

"Some people call us that."

"Some people?" she sounded amused. "Who are some people?"

"Anyone who didn't know us through-_oh_!"

"Sorry, is that tender?"

"A little," Gabriella gasped, her body tensing. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize, it's expected and this may be a little uncomfortable." There was a sound as she picked up an instrument. "Tell me about Troy; What's he like?"

The smile that curved her lips was unavoidable and Gabriella unconsciously relaxed as she spoke - the doctor's intention. "He's the sweetest guy you'll ever meet. He's a bit of a jock, but he's smarter than he thinks he is."

"Talented and smart? That's quite the combination."

"He's handsome too," Gabriella grinned. "A triple threat."

"And he's a gentleman?"

"Irrefutably - to the detriment of his own reputation at times too - and he has a knack for romantic gestures." Gabriella's smile faded. "He's not perfect though and he's made his share of mistakes."

"Mistakes?" The instrument was placed back on the tray. "Nothing serious I hope."

There was a twinge of stretching and then an uncomfortable sensation as the doctor pressed down on her lower abdomen and Gabriella winced - but answered the question. "Nothing he hasn't learned from. I think they're a lot of the same mistakes other boys make."

"Like what?"

"Well... Troy was the Captain on our school's basketball team and they - the team - thought I was interfering with their chance at a championship. So his best friend goaded him into saying I meant nothing to him - and making sure I heard."

"Sounds harsh," the pressure eased and the doctor shifted away. "What did you do about it?"

"I stopped talking to him, but since we'd already become such good friends he... he came to my house and apologized - he wouldn't take no for an answer."

"Smart boy." The doctor put her instruments away. "A lot of men could take lessons from your young man."

"He wasn't willing to let me go," Gabriella admitted. "And I wasn't really willing to let him go either. He was my first friend at that High School and we connected right away when we first met; I guess he saw something in me he couldn't stand to lose - even if it was just friendship at the time."

The doctor stripped off her gloves and stood, smiling. "So the two of you were friends before you were lovers."

"We're still friends," the blush was back in Gabriella's cheeks. "But we're just... _better_ friends."

Chuckling, the doctor shook her head. "You're hardly _just _friends."

"Oh, I never said we were _just_ friends. Troy's my... he's..." Gabriella shifted into a sitting position, pulling her knees to her chest and found herself smiling shyly. "He's my other half."

Checking her chart, Doctor Hodges glanced up to see her smile, but didn't smile back. "And are the two of you ready to be parents?"

"P-parents?" All color drained from her face.

The Doctor's serious gaze met Gabriella's. "It's a possible consequence of unprotected sex, Gabriella; a smart young woman like you is surely aware of it. Just as sexually transmitted diseases are a risk. You were a virgin; did you make sure Troy was safe?"

Hot color re-flooded her cheeks and Gabriella forced herself to keep her gaze locked to that of the Doctor's. "Troy's as inexperienced as I am... it's why we... forgot."

Whatever the Doctor had been writing in her chart, stopped at her words and Doctor Hodges looked up in surprise. "I see." She hooked her pen back into her coat pocket and closed the folder as her expression turned into understanding. "Your chart says your mother came to see us a week or so ago about birth control for you; do you have any questions regarding it?"

Gabriella shook her head. "Not really. But we should be using something else before they take full effect, right?"

"Right. Condoms are probably enough, but read the package before you do and make sure you use them properly." The Doctor smiled. "I'm going to give you a prescription for more pills, and I have another, more serious question to ask."

"What about?"

"As you and Troy aren't ready to be parents, will you accept a precautionary measure against it? I think it's highly unlikely you could be, seeing as how you just stopped bleeding, but the morning after pill is for a circumstance like this."

"Morning after pill," Gabriella repeated. "Is it really necessary?"

"Probably not," the Doctor conceded, smiling. "But it's better to be safe."

"Then you recommend it?"

"In my professional opinion, yes."

That settled it.

Another two minutes of discussion and Gabriella was told she would need to return on Monday or Tuesday - or after Christmas - for the remainder of her physical as they couldn't do the Pap smear with foreign substances contaminating the sample - a nice way of saying no intercourse a couple of days before her exams. Blushing, Gabriella nodded and assured the Doctor she'd reschedule for that particular part of her exam.

The Doctor left her alone to get dressed, returning a moment later to supply her with the pill she'd been promised and a glass of water. Turning it over in her hand, Gabriella examined it - and the pamphlet the doctor had left. Dressing quickly, she scooped the pamphlet from the small table and settled in the chair as she waited for the Doctor to return. The pill sat on the table top as she browsed through the small piece of information - but didn't sit for long before she popped it into her mouth.

Placing the information pamphlet on the table, she stood, stretching and winced. According to the doctor all of her parts were healthy and she didn't have anything to worry about - except soreness which would pass before the end of the day.

It was only a few minutes before the Doctor returned, handing her a slip of paper, three small boxes and a smile before wishing her well. "We'll see you next week, Gabriella."

"Thank you, Doctor Hodges."

"My pleasure... and remember; I know the physical pleasure is new, but if your appointment is Monday, restrain yourselves after tonight. If your appointment is Tuesday - then Sunday and Monday you'll need to behave."

Gabriella smiled and nodded - despite the blush she couldn't stop. "I'll make sure we do."

The Doctor turned to go.

"Um, Doctor?"

"Yes, Gabriella?"

"Do you..." she stopped and shrugged, apologetically. "What will you tell my mom?"

Doctor Hodges laughed softly. "You're an adult, Gabriella. Whatever you choose to tell your mother is up to you. This... whatever you tell me when you're in here, stays between you, me and your chart. Enjoy your weekend."

Leaving her alone, the Doctor exited the room and Gabriella took a look at what the doctor had left her. The prescription note for the year's worth of birth control was fairly straight forward and she'd need to have it filled when the month's supply she already had ran out. Two other boxes were the same size and color as the box her mother had given her for her birthday. Make that _three _month's supply.

The last box was square and labeled _Pleasures_. Flipping it over, she stared and clapped the box between her hands with a gasp. Condoms. Bringing the box to her forehead in her joined hands she took a deep breath. It was a small box, but the doctor's message was clear and Gabriella couldn't have mistaken it if she'd tried.

Taking another deep breath, she knew her color would be high when she left the examination room; Gabriella reached for her purse and tucked the various boxes inside. She pulled her wallet out, knowing she'd need her health care card. Once she got home, she'd make sure the square box went into her bed side table; the others would stay in her purse. Dressed and without any other reason to remain, Gabriella left the office and headed down the small hallway to where the receptionist was waiting.

A flick of her wrist opened her wallet and she presented the card for her medical coverage. The receptionist took it, writing something on her file. Ms. Montez joined her daughter as Gabriella asked about appointments for the following week, before extending a credit card, which was taken without question. As the payment was authorized, the Receptionist informed Gabriella that any of the days - Monday through Wednesday - were fine, unless she preferred to have her test done the week following New Years. Gabriella chose Tuesday; it would give her and Troy one night of leeway.

Five minutes later found Gabriella and her mother seated in the front of her mother's van - and the interrogation Gabriella had been anticipating since her mother had picked her up this morning.

"Are you alright, Gabriella?"

"Fine mom," she slouched in her seat. "I'm glad the Doctor I saw today was a woman, though."

"I thought you would be."

"What do you mean?"

"I asked Doctor Ricks to give your file to Doctor Hodges after I spoke with you this morning." Ms. Montez glanced at her daughter. "She'll be the doctor you see next week too if I read that schedule right."

"You always do." The sudden awkwardness between herself and her mother was distasteful and Gabriella sighed. "Just ask mom; I know you want to."

Their gazes locked for a split second before Ms. Montez focused on the road. Silence stretched between them for one minute and then two and Ms. Montez finally laughed, shaking her head. "Anything I ask will be an intrusion."

"Not anything." Gabriella smiled faintly, clasping her hands together in her lap and locked her fingers together. "It just depends on how you phrase it."

Her mother was silent, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel as she signaled and changed lanes. Gabriella waited in a tense silence, expecting everything from intrusive to evasive. What she got wasn't what she expected - but it should have been.

"If he hurts you, Gabi, he'll answer to me."

Laughter bubbled out before Gabriella could stop it, and she covered her mouth with her hands before she looked at her mom in surprise. "He knows mom; and he didn't. No more than necessary."

"Pain is never necessary." A smile softened Ms. Montez's face, her acceptance tainted with a touch of sadness. "Except for the first time. Just... be careful, okay? I meant what I said I don't want to be a grandmother anytime soon."

"We'll be careful. I promise." _From now on_, she amended silently.

Ms. Montez reached across the seat to squeeze her daughter's hand tightly, a lifeline to the past and the future. Her little girl was growing up and she wasn't ready for it, no matter how she was trying to be. Her daughter, a girl who'd used to run around in pig tails and torn jeans was a young woman in a relationship of her own - and Ms. Montez was suddenly glad she was moving away to leave them on their own.

Troy had already proven he would take care of her baby and while no parent _wanted_ to surrender their child to another person, Ms. Montez knew if she fought it, she'd only be fighting the inevitable. Better to accept it, and embrace her daughter's choice of partner - she couldn't have picked a nicer boy for Gabriella if _she'd_ been trying - rather than alienate him.

Gabriella climbed out of the van and headed towards the house and her room to finish packing as she dug her cell phone out of her pocket and flicked it open, turning the ringer back on. Troy's number was speed dial #1 and she pressed it without checking her messages.

"_Hello gorgeous_."

"You really should answer your phone differently," she teased. "What if I'd asked mom to call?"

"_Then it would still apply_," he told her easily. "_I'm just lucky that my girl takes after her mother._"

"Flatterer. Are you at our place?"

"_Nope._"

"On your way to mom's-" she shrieked, dropping her purse and phone, as two strong arms suddenly encircled her waist and pulled her off the ground into a muscled chest she'd have known blind.

"Already here," he nuzzled her ear.

Gabriella practically melted against him, her eyes half closed. "Mmm."

"I was going to tell you to turn around," Troy teased, squeezing her before putting her back on her feet inside the door of her room. "But I figured-"

"_Gabriella_?"

"I'm okay mom," she assured her mother immediately, hearing the worry in her tone. "Troy's here - he just startled me is all."

"_Oh, good. You don't want to lose the daylight if you're going to be moving a lot today._"

"You didn't tell her?"

Shaking her head, she smiled sheepishly. "It was a little uncomfortable on the way to the doctor and mom didn't talk to me until after my appointment. By then it slipped my mind."

Entwining his hand in hers, he squeezed her fingers. "Why was it uncomfortable?"

"Why else?" Gabriella blushed, unable to help herself. "She _knows_ Troy."

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh," Gabriella tilted her head forward to lean it against his chest for a moment before lifting her gaze back to his with a faint smile. "I have to see the doctor again next week."

He frowned, concern written all over his features as he cupped her face in his free hand. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

"You didn't hurt me."

"Then... it's nothing serious, right?"

"Nothing serious, Wildcat," her tone turned teasing, "though it does mean we have to behave on Sunday and Monday."

"Behave?" Confusion replaced concern. "I don't understand."

"I couldn't do part of my physical today because of... of when we..." her blush stained her cheeks pink, but this was _Troy_ she was talking to and it wasn't nearly as heated as when she'd spoken with the Doctor. "When we made love this morning."

"Are you feeling any better?"

"The more I move, the less I hurt," she told him honestly. "It's just like any other muscle you use and strain; I'll be fine in a couple of hours."

A boyish grin spread across his features. "Good. I'd hate to have to move all your gear on my own."

"Ha!" She scoffed with a laugh. "You could carry me _and_ my stuff to your place without your truck and never break a sweat."

"Hmm, good idea."

Gabriella shrieked as he caught her about the waist and then slung her over one shoulder. She laughed, knowing her mother would hear her and know nothing was wrong, as Troy strode further into her room. "Troy, the door's the other way."

"I was thinking about taking my preferred method of exit - the tree."

"Don't you _dare_ Troy Bolton!"

Laughing, he upended her, dropping her down to her bed and following her down to pin her bodily against the mattress. His laugh mingled with hers as he dropped his forehead against hers with a grin. "I wouldn't; I'd be too scared of dropping you."

Gabriella wound her arms about his neck. "You wouldn't drop me," she assured him, running a hand through his hair. "You couldn't. I bet if you felt I was slipping and you knew you couldn't stop me, you'd let go too just to cushion my fall."

"Always," he agreed without hesitation, leaning down to kiss her. "I'll _always_ be there to break your fall."

"Or catch me."

Their voices had dropped to whispers and Troy paused a fraction away from her lips. "Or catch you." He sealed that vow with a kiss.

The _ring_ of her cell phone was unmistakable in the silence surrounding them and he groaned, breaking the kiss. "Everyone's against me today."

"Everyone, Wildcat?" She hooked her leg around his and _pressed_ against him.

He groaned. "Or maybe just you. I want you."

"Later." Her phone rang again and she smiled apologetically. "When we're back at our place."

"Promise?"

Her lips kicked into a teasing half smile at his eagerness. "If you have any energy after your performance tonight."

"Ugh." Troy rolled away, sprawling next to her. "I'd forgotten about that."

"What, don't you want to show my mom how good you are?"

Lifting his head, he smirked. "I'd rather show _you_."

Nudging him, she scrambled off the bed and grabbed the phone on the fourth ring - just before her voice mail would have picked up. "Hello?"

"_You're _so_ dead meat!_"

"Hey, Taylor," Troy called from across the room with a snicker as Gabriella yanked the phone away from her ear.

"Out!"

Troy rolled off the bed and did as he was told, departing as Taylor's garbled rant echoed from the phone. He paused only to drop a kiss on Gabriella's cheek. "Play nice."

It made her grin as she brought the phone back towards her head. "I'm sorry, Tay, I had my phone off."

"_I have been trying to reach you all morning,_" and exasperated Taylor accused hotly. "_Where the heck have you been?_"

"At the doctor." Gabriella leaned against the bed post as she talked to her best friend, a wave of nostalgia sweeping through her. She'd give just about _anything_ to see her right then. "My mom made me an appointment."

"_Doctor! Oh sweetie, are you okay? Do I have to kill Troy or just make him turn you into an honest woman?_"

"Taylor!"

"_What? You can't tell me you've had that handsome, romantic man all to yourself for the last six months and not done anything about it. And I wouldn't believe you even if you did._" Taylor's cheek was easier to take in person where Gabriella could see her face - but just hearing her talk relaxed Gabriella in a way she hadn't realized she needed. "_Now spill, what was this trip to the doctor about?_"

"Nothing special - just my yearly physical."

"_Yearly... oh. So No little Bolton-Montez children just yet, huh?_"

"Nope, not yet," a teasing tone entered Gabriella's voice. "Don't tell me you're disappointed?"

"_A girl can dream. I _like_ the idea of being Aunty Taylor. Then I can spoil your kids and tell them all the trouble the two of you got into through High school - and what a romantic their father is._"

"I'd like to finish College before making you an aunt," Gabriella informed her friend dryly. "And Troy thinks the same way."

"_Just because you'd like to, doesn't mean you will_," Taylor came back with a grin in her voice. "_I've missed you, Gabriella; Yale's so lonely without you to hang out with._"

Gabriella bit her lip. While she couldn't honestly say she'd been _lonely_ without Taylor, she did miss her. "I miss you too, Tay. So what'd you call me about this morning, huh?"

"_You mean when _Troy_ answered the phone?_"

Rolling her eyes, Gabriella settled on the edge of her bed - and fell backwards to stare at the ceiling. "Yeah, when _Troy_ answered my phone."

"_Since when do you sleep with him anyway? And don't tell me your mom approves of it; he's a healthy red blooded male who's bound to ravish you while you sleep and-"_

Gabriella giggled - she couldn't help it - cutting her friend off. "You make him sound like some kind of sex starved maniac."

"_You waited eight months to share your first kiss,_" Taylor informed her knowingly. "_I know because you told me and there's _no way _Troy is human if he's going to let you postpone the physical aspects of your relationship with him having his own place."_

"Oh, he's human."

"_Ha! Then I'm right. What happened, tell me everything. Was it as good as you thought it would be?"_

Biting her lip, Gabriella glanced at the door where Troy had disappeared through. "I didn't know what to expect," she finally admitted softly. "Troy really _is_ a gentleman, Taylor; he was so patient with me."

A squeal on the other end was followed by a soft sigh. "_You sound like you don't know what to make of it._"

"A part of me doesn't," Gabriella confessed, her eyes glued to the door. "It's not something either of us knows much about."

"_So find a book. It's what I did._"

"Taylor!" Lifting her phone, Gabriella stared at it for a moment before bringing it back to her ear. "You didn't!"

"_I did,"_ Taylor confirmed. "_The _For Dummies_ line is.. what? What's so funny?_"

Curled up on her side, Gabriella struggled to contain the laughing fit that had overcome her. Taylor had read the same book Troy had borrowed from the library; the same book she'd been caught reading that morning.

"_Gabriella, are you okay?_"

"Fine," she wheezed out. "Just fine."

"_Well, whatever; _anyway_ the reason I called this morning is because Chad wants to know what Troy wants for Christmas. He's been complaining that Troy never gives him ideas and he hates picking out something he might not like._"

"Christmas..." The smile that curved Gabriella's lips was thoughtful. "I don't know what he wants." _Other than me - which I guess means that Christmas came early._

_"Oh. Well, what do _you_ want for Christmas?_"

"Nothing I don't already have."

"_Liar. Troy may be sweet, but you can't wear him... well, maybe you can - or rather he could wear _you_, but it wouldn't exactly be decent."_

Gaping, Gabriella pulled the phone away from her ear to stare at it again. "Taylor!"

"_What? He may be taken but I'm not blind. Besides, you can't tell me you _don't_ want that; you weren't nearly as scandalized as I'd hoped._"

Scandalized? No, but her imagination was suddenly in overdrive. "Very funny. What do _you_ want for Christmas?"

"_You and Troy back in Albuquerque for New Year's - but I know you can't._" Taylor's chipper tone faltered. "_I could really go for talking to you more often, Gabriella; my class mates are great, but nobody's you._"

Guilt assailed Gabriella and her heart lurched in her chest. "I'm sorry, Taylor, I guess I just got caught up."

"_And with Troy to get caught up in, who can blame you? But it would be nice if you'd shoot me an e-mail every now and again_."

"I'm sorry; I really am. I didn't mean to stop talking with you."

_"For our first semester or quarter or whatever you Stanford people call it, I'll forgive you; just don't do it through the next three and some years, okay?_"

"Yes ma'am!" They shared a laugh - and it felt wonderful. "Look, Tay, I'm moving half my gear to Troy's tonight; will you have your phone on you later?"

_"How much later?_"

"Eleven, your time - I'll call you then since Troy's show will be over by then."

"_I thought you'd already gone_."

"I have, but it's worth seeing twice. He's _fabulous_."

They shared another laugh.

"_Don't let Sharpay hear you saying that, she'll think you're trying to steal her trademarks_."

"And what, try to steal Troy again?" Gabriella grinned. "She could try, but he's mine; _all_ mine now and there's nothing she - or anyone else - can say or do that could tear us apart."


	30. Unexpected Surprises: Part 5

_Unexpected Surprises - December 19__th_

_Part 5_

Troy hefted another couple of boxes from Gabriella's room. "Are you sure you don't need a hand with that?"

"I'm fine," Gabriella assured him, placing another of the many pictures of them she kept in the box on her bed. "I _have _done this a time or two."

"Or three or four." He winked at her, "and hopefully only a time or two more."

"Hopefully?"

"I don't know about you, but I can't see us staying here for the next three and a half years once we move next month."

Laughing, she waved him away and Troy disappeared.

Ms. Montez took his place, stopping in the doorway. "Almost packed - or is that Troy's stuff?"

"Getting there," Gabriella reached for another set of photographs. She wouldn't bring everything she had to display at Troy's, but she figured pictures of _them_ could replace the pictures of _her_ that littered the space at the very least. "Those," She nodded towards a stack of boxes neatly placed in one corner of her room, "are Troy's."

"Making himself at home is he?" She couldn't resist teasing her daughter. "Since when does Troy sleep in your room?"

"Mom!" Gabriella glanced at her mother exasperated.

Laughing, Ms. Montez shook her head. "Teasing, sweetheart."

"How about you? Are you packed?"

"I don't have to have things ready for another week," her mother reminded her. "Christmas is next week and I don't want to be tripping over boxes while we're trying to celebrate. Besides, with you and Troy taking care of the house, I can pretty much buy what I need while I'm there - and most of that is only clothing."

Gabriella's mother stood to the side just inside the door as Troy came bounding back up the stairs, excusing himself politely as he bent to pick up another couple of boxes. He was gone again in seconds, taking another load downstairs as Gabriella packed up the last of what she would be bringing. He'd collected his truck on his last run over with his things, making moving her an easier job than anticipated.

Troy had taken the day off from work and excused himself from basketball practice but that night was the show and the following day was the first game day after finals - and he'd promised his coach to play. The previous two games - away games Troy had missed - meant he'd spent little time on the court and Gabriella knew he missed it. As a consequence, he seemed a touch overly energetic - or maybe it was just a result of their early morning exploration.

As Troy disappeared back down the stairs, Ms. Montez shook her head tolerantly. "I don't know who's more excited about this move - you or Troy."

"I think it's equal measure, mom." She packed away another series of books, looking around the room before collecting another small handful of photos. At one point or another they'd all spent some time on her nightstand - and not just the ones of only Troy. While she was moving some things to Troy's, others were being placed into storage or being moved to another part of the house. Once they moved in permanently after the end of January, _her_ room would become _their_ room; and she would get his help to redecorate it - unless they moved into the basement. Her mom had mentioned something about renovating it to make a separate suite for renting out. "Did you pick an apartment in Seattle yet?"

"The company found me one I like - it's easier to shop around when there's only me to worry about and I'm not particularly picky."

Turning, Gabriella looked her way in time to see her mom fighting tears with a smile on her face. Placing the photos she'd collected in the box, she wrapped her mother in a tight hug. "Thanks, mom."

"You've grown up so fast," Ms. Montez told her softly, "and I'm so very proud of you. I just never thought I'd be leaving you on your own so soon."

Gabriella pulled away slightly, but didn't relinquish the hug, "I'm not alone; I have Troy."

"And that's what makes this bearable - he loves you almost as much as I do. I never would have been able to accept this transfer if you'd been by yourself; I couldn't have done that to you."

Matching brown eyes reflected shimmering tears - and a pair of strong masculine arms wrapped around them both as Troy joined in their hug. "Your trust means a lot to us, Ms. Montez."

"You've earned it, Troy. Both of you. No matter the changes in your relationship, you're always so careful and responsible. I wouldn't trust my home - or my daughter - to anyone else." She slipped one arm around her daughter's boyfriend as Gabriella did the same, including him completely in the tiny circle. A moment later, Ms. Montez stepped away. "I'll leave you two to finish up in here; brownies will be ready by the time you finish taking the last of it to your truck."

"Brownies!" Troy looked like a kid at Christmas as Ms. Montez disappeared back downstairs. "Awesome!"

Gabriella laughed, poking him in the chest. "Work first; brownies later."

"Hey! I'm not your slave today."

"You're my slave every day," she teased.

"Every minute of every day." Troy brushed his lips across hers in an affectionately possessive gesture. "Are you just about done with that last box?"

"Almost. I don't want to bring too much or I'll swamp your apartment."

"_Our_ apartment." he corrected with a soft smile. "Ours; you're on the lease now too, remember?"

"Ours," she conceded, smiling. "But that doesn't mean there's a lot of space for trinkets."

"We'll make space. Anything you want to bring or add to our home is only going to make it more _ours_ than mine." He nudged the tip of her nose with his. "Besides, I like the cluttered look - even if it's only for a month."

"Ah, but a month where we'll slowly be moving things over here," hooking one finger under the chain around his neck, she tugged it free of his shirt and toyed with it as it lay on his chest. "Did I mention I looked these up?"

"What did you find?"

"A whole lot of nothing," she admitted. "Google didn't have a lot to say on 'alliance' rings."

Troy almost looked relieved - until she continued.

"It did have a lot to say on matched ring sets though."

"Anything interesting?"

"You could say that." Tapping her finger against the band on the chain, she cocked her head at him. "Most matching sets are engagement and wedding band sets. The matching rings being the ones the bride wears with a third ring being the one the groom eventually accepts when saying his vows."

Troy swallowed hard. "I... uh..."

"Looks like you really _did_ propose to me, Wildcat."

"Gabriella, I-"

She laughed, cutting him off as she turned back to her packing. "Relax Troy; I won't hold you to it."

"Really?"

Gabriella slanted a questioning look his way. He sounded both upset and relieved - all at the same time. Which was understandable, she supposed, since it was a - what had he called it? - a pre-engagement ring. Smiling a reassuring smile, she gathered the last of the things she was bringing in a final arm load. "What the rings are _supposed_ to mean isn't really the point, is it?"

"We don't really know what they mean."

"I think alliance ring is just another word for traditional matched sets." Gabriella folded down the last of the box tops. "I found a vague reference in old Creole wedding customs, but no details. Usually though, one of the bands has a stone because it's an engagement gift; a way of solidifying the man's intentions."

Troy picked up the last of the boxes. "The lady I bought it from said they were old; maybe the stone was lost and it was just filed down into a plain band."

"Maybe." She could see he'd thought about that too - even if he wouldn't let her carry anything. He was such a _guy_ sometimes. "I guess we'll never know."

"You're not mad are you?"

"For what?"

He stepped down the stairs ahead of her, watching his footing. "That I brought you an engagement ring without actually proposing?"

Laughing, she shook her head as she followed him down. "That's absurd, Troy."

"Is that a yes or a no?"

"A no, of course - since you didn't technically fail to propose."

"What?"

"You called it a pre-proposal, remember?" Gabriella followed him out the front door towards where his truck was parked and couldn't resist teasing him. "That's technically a proposal all in itself."

"I guess." Troy placed the boxes in the bed of the truck.

He looked so uncomfortable, she stepped close as he straightened and wrapped her arms about his waist. "What they once were doesn't really matter, Troy. What matters is what we believe they signify; we each have half - half of a perfect whole."

"Which is why I bought them in the first place," he admitted softly, hugging her tight. "You really are my other half, you know that, right?"

"I know."

Troy bent in to kiss her with a soft smile before pulling her back towards the house. Their hands had entwined as they separated, an action that was almost as unconscious as breathing, and Gabriella fell into step, hugging his arm almost absently.

"Are you looking forward to living with me?"

"I thought I already was," she teased, squeezing his arm. "Or is it only official once I have closet space?"

"That's what my mother seems to think." he winked at her. "Did you have a good chat with Taylor?"

"It was... interesting. She asked about you and why you answered the phone this morning."

He groaned. "Ugh, I'm sorry I snapped at her; I swear if I'd realized it was _your_ phone I wouldn't have - I probably wouldn't have answered it at all."

"Just thrown it across the room?"

"You were asleep!"

"I was," her tone was teasing. "I just _happened_ to note where it was when you carried me to the bath; I'm sure I didn't leave my phone in the doorway where you'd have to kick it aside."

"I didn't want to step on it." He changed the subject quickly, deciding he didn't need to know what she'd talked to Taylor about that badly. "You don't have nearly as much stuff as I thought you did."

Gabriella knew what he was doing – but let him. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"It's meant as one."

She chuckled, stopping at the top of the stairs. "I'll take one last look around to see if there's anything I should have at our place for the month and meet you in the kitchen, okay?"

"Sure, I'll just make sure everything's secure in the truck bed." His eager nod made her laugh as she turned back to her room. Troy watched her disappear before resuming his trek to his truck, spreading the tarp his parents had provided for the task when he'd moved overtop and lashing it down. They probably could have moved her small number of boxes inside the cab, but he didn't want to crowd her.

Finished, he dusted his hands off on his jeans and straightened, looking back to the house. He couldn't help but admire Ms. Montez for the way she had put aside her thoughts of Gabriella as a child and was treating her like a woman. And while Ms. Montez was still "mother" she'd seemed to have mellowed, taking on the role of big sister more than mother. The admiration he felt for her was deep; it couldn't have been easy to so what she was doing and he and Gabriella would be spending copious amounts of time with her through the next couple of weeks in an attempt to alleviate her concerns - and validate her trust.

Not that they needed to, but it made him feel better.

He'd suffered through the shock of leaving his parents behind, except it had been his choice so he doubted the homesick feelings he got would even come close to what Gabriella would feel once her mother left. He could only hope she'd take comfort in his presence as he did in hers. Stretching, he inhaled deeply, unable to help the half-smile that seemed permanently etched on his face today.

It was a day of wondrous surprises and monumental occurrences; first this morning and now this move.

Gabriella was moving in with him. Never, not even when he'd first considered moving in with her and her mother, had he thought he'd be living with her in his second semester of college. Sure, she spent most of her time at his place anyway, but this... this was something else. She didn't have to leave, or meet curfew; she didn't have to check in with anyone or worry about making her mom worry when she stayed out all night. They'd have time to explore where the new side of their relationship was going without the stresses of a parent hanging over their shoulder.

It was like... like a dream come true.

That line of thought carried him back up the walkway and into the house - and the delicious smell of fresh out of the oven brownies. Two tall glasses of milk sat next to a small stack of plates and the pan of still steaming goodies. Ms. Montez turned from removing a second pan from the oven and spied him in the doorway, his eyes glued to the treat. She didn't make them often, but when she did, they were to be savored.

Ryan had been dead on when he'd claimed she made the best brownies in the whole world.

"Hungry, Troy?"

"Famished." He pulled his gaze away from the delectable sight of the chocolate squares and met hers sheepishly. "But even if I wasn't, I'd never turn down a famous Montez brownie or two."

"Flatterer," she waved him to a seat. "They're not ready just yet, but can I get your something else while they cool?"

Troy settled into the chair and stretched his legs out under the table. There was something to be said about having a kitchen table with actual chairs; his place only had the low coffee table and couch. It was but one thing he was actually looking forward to when he and Gabriella did move in here full time. He reached over to lift one of the glasses with a gesture of silent thanks. "I can wait. I wouldn't want to spoil my appetite for your brownies."

An indulgent smile crossed her lips - a smile mothers everywhere seemed to get when humoring their children. "Somehow, I doubt a sandwich will ruin your appetite."

A loud growl emitted from his stomach almost the moment the words left her lips and Troy flushed. "Well... maybe one."

Ms. Montez turned to the fridge and pulled out a plate of promised foodstuffs with a laugh. "Don't look so surprised, Troy; it's not the first time you've been over for brownies."

Gabriella chose that moment to enter the kitchen, her nose leading and her eyes half closed. "Something smells _delicious_."

"Lunch first, snacks later."

"It's closer to dinner than lunch time - and a snack in between makes more sense than another meal."

"Don't try logic on me," Ms. Montez told her daughter good naturedly. "Moving is hungry work and poor Troy's going to waste away to nothing if he doesn't have something solid."

"Waste away?" Gabriella arched her eyebrows, amusement plain in her eyes as she did a deliberate survey of Troy's physique. "Mom, if that's wasting, I think he can handle it."

"Hmm. You might be right." Ms. Montez placed the tray of sandwiches down in front of Troy anyway. "But we wouldn't want to encourage it."

Troy helped himself, deliberately ignoring the way Gabriella's eyes seemed to linger his hands, and offered her half. "Hungry?"

"I'd rather save room for brownies."

"That's what I said." Taking a bite of his sandwich he nodded in appreciation and swallowed before continuing, twitching the half her way. "My stomach seems to think I need real food before sweets."

"You know the rules, Gabi" her mom teased. "Dinner before snacks."

"I thought you said lunch."

"A meal's a meal, no matter what you call it. And neither of you have stopped for the last couple of hours; and I know you didn't stop for lunch when we got home."

Relenting, Gabriella settled in next to Troy and accepted the sandwich he offered. "Thanks."

He smiled and took another bite, finishing off his first half in silence.

Gabriella nibbled on hers, glancing between Troy and her mother and back. "We shouldn't leave your truck unattended for long."

"You're just anxious to claim your half of my space." He teased, reaching for another sandwich. "Though if you want to stay here and help your mom out, I can handle unloading."

Ms. Montez refilled his glass. "A few minutes to eat isn't going to matter one way or another. Besides, with your stuff already in Gabriella's room, it makes more sense for her to go with you. This way she can put her things away and go with you to rehearsals."

Troy blinked. He'd almost forgotten about the show that night in the excitement of the day; a quick glance at the clock showed he still had another couple of hours before he needed to be there. "I suppose; are you coming to see the show again, Gabriella?"

She nodded, taking a sip of her milk to wash down her mouthful of sandwich. "I'd like to; I bet you get better every show."

"Nah, we just change things every show; hence the rehearsals. Angelique will have another complaint I'm sure; I swear, if she would just get snapped up by some... some talent scout, we'd all have an easier time of it."

"Angelique?"

"Oh," Troy smiled sheepishly and explained for Ms. Montez. "Angelique is the.. the Sharpay of my drama group. She's a third year theatre student who doesn't appreciate having us freshmen ruining her show."

"Except that she does this killer duet with Troy-"

"-which was all Gabriella's idea-"

"-and it practically steals the show," Gabriella shot him a look. "I just helped you learn it."

"You turned it into a duet," he corrected, grinning. "You made it _fun_ to learn a country song - and now it doesn't even _sound_ like a country song which makes it all that much more appealing."

Rolling her eyes, Gabriella reached for another sandwich. "Says the consummate performer. so who're you bringing tonight, mom?"

Ms. Montez looked surprised for a moment and then smiled. "Oh, just a few friends who happen to like amateur theatre; musicals in particular. Will you be sitting with us?"

Gabriella slanted a look at Troy - who shook his head as he chewed on another quarter sandwich. "Gabriella's got back stage privileges so she can watch from the front row, even the orchestra pit. I think she made an impression the last time she showed up."

"What Troy means is I told off one of the girls on the stage crew."

"Gabriella!"

"What? She had it coming." Gabriella looked from her mom to Troy and back. "She was trying to tell me that I had no chance with Troy because he didn't like girls."

Troy snorted, amused - and almost choked on his sandwich, coughing as he reached for his glass.

"Did she now?" Ms. Montez checked the readiness on the brownies with a toothpick. "I take it she didn't know who you were."

"She does now," wheezed Troy, coughing again as he tried to clear his airway.

"Breathing in your food is inadvisable, Troy," Gabriella admonished, seeing he was going to be okay - and unable to resist teasing him. "Though I can see why you'd try it having to sing opposite Angelique."

He coughed again, in between laughing and trying to breathe.

"At this rate you'll be living in Troy's apartment alone."

"Troy's a fighter," Gabriella reached over to rub Troy's back as he stretched to open his airways, trying to breathe more easily.

It took several minutes, but his face gradually returned to his normal tan shade and he looked sheepish. "I think your sandwiches are trying to kill me - or save the brownies all for themselves."

Laughing, Ms. Montez dished up the now ready brownies; still warm, but not hot enough to fall apart when touched. Placing the plate in front of Troy with a knowing grin, she then refilled their glassed of milk and joined them at the table.

"To surprises," she proposed with glint in her eye. "_Good_ surprises that make us smile and laugh or otherwise remind us of what life is supposed to be."

Gabriella and Troy clinked their glasses together with Ms. Montez in complete agreement, but under the table Troy brushed his foot against Gabriella's and she dropped her free hand onto his thigh to squeeze. Together, the three of them demolished the plate of brownies - Troy eating the lion's share of what was on the plate.

Finally they headed back to his - to _their_ - place and Gabriella supervised as Troy brought up the belongings she'd chosen to bring over for the month. She snuck a box that was relatively light on each trip, but overall Troy refused to let her carry anything - his reasoning? She'd have to unpack it all so he could at least be gentlemanly and carry it for her. It made her laugh and roll her eyes - and resulted in Troy sweeping her up the moment his hands were free to kiss her breathless and remind her how _ungentlemanly _he could be. Their interludes didn't last long and were mostly playful, Troy keeping one eye on the clock out of necessity; he couldn't be late for rehearsals.

It wasn't long before they had all of her boxes inside the apartment and Troy revealed that he had cleaned out half of his drawers - leaving her half for her clothes. The closet, he informed her with a grin, was all hers. As she began to unpack, Troy jumped into the shower to get ready for the show - neither expecting what the rest of the day was about to bring.


	31. Unexpected Surprises: Part 6

**Author's Note: Part 6 of 7 – and then we move along :)**

_Unexpected Surprises - December 19__th_

_Part 6_

"Gabriella, this is Peggy, Peg, this is Gabriella." Troy squeezed Gabriella's hand with a smile as he introduced them. "Peggy's the musical genius behind the show."

"Gabriella - you're the girl who wore red on opening night, right?" Peggy's smile was completely open as she extended her hand. "It's so nice to meet you."

"You too, Peggy," Gabriella shook the other girl's hand. "The show's pretty spectacular; how'd you come up with the idea?"

"An over active imagination and too many romance novels," the composer returned wryly. "Is it true you're the one who turned the Lonestar single into a duet?"

"She runs my lines with me," Troy interjected, releasing Gabriella's hand to leaf through the musical score on Peggy's piano.

"Troy's not a country fan," Gabriella clarified, amused. "If I hadn't done something he might have given up this production in favor of something else."

"I hope you're joking," Peggy looked Troy's way, aghast - and he missed it as he hummed a few bars of whatever score he was examining. "This show wouldn't be half of what it is without him."

"You'll never convince _him _of that."

"Oh, I know," Peggy rolled her eyes in complete understanding. "For a guy who's go such polar opposite interests, he's a touch dense sometimes for all he's a real sweetheart."

"I know." Gabriella settled onto the Piano bench with Peggy as Troy, much to her amusement, absconded with the score Peggy had been working on and was now walking back and forth, humming it under his breath. "I sometimes wonder if people aren't going to take advantage of him because of it."

"Of Troy?" Laughing, Peggy shook her head. "I doubt it. For all he's a nice guy, he's not a fool. He knows what he wants and goes for it."

Gabriella's eyebrows arched. "How long have you been working with him, Peggy?"

"Since the casting was finished, so a couple of months - why?"

"You and Troy seem to have become friends."

"Not really," Peggy seemed a little uncomfortable about the subject. "He doesn't come and hang out with us so we only see him here at school. I can't _believe_ how he stands up to Angelique. She terrifies me." The composer confessed. "I can't wait until some casting agent scoops her up so the rest of us can be left in peace."

Gabriella laughed, shaking her head. "Or until _your_ big break. If I'd known Troy wasn't spending any time with you guys outside of rehearsals, I'd have made a point of joining him sooner. You remind me of the composer we knew at our High School."

"Is that a good thing?"

"A _very_ good thing - Kelsi was shy too and afraid of _our_ diva, Sharpay. One day, when you're not about to jump into rehearsals, I'll tell you how we all became friends."

"Really?" Peggy looked so hopeful it made Gabriella grin. "Troy doesn't talk much about his old school - except about you and how nobody, not even Angelique, has a voice like yours."

That made Gabriella blush. "I might sing every now and again, but Troy's the-"

"_What do you mean Angelique and Tracy aren't here?_" The professor's aggrieved shout echoed through the auditorium. "_I have a rehearsal to run and duets to practice; where are they?_"

There was a murmur of someone trying to explain before another outburst as the Professor came into view. "I don't care if she thinks she's as good as signed that deal, she's obligated to be here tonight, find her!"

A murmur of anticipation raced through the stage crew and performers as Troy returned to Gabriella and Peggy. Gabriella patted Peggy on the shoulder in apology, squeezed Troy's forearm and then ducked away so she wouldn't draw the ire of their professor for being at the rehearsals.

The professor stalked into the theatre, looking all the world like a man at the end of his rope. "Alright people, Angelique is _not_ here and neither is her understudy. Let's run as much of the production as we can without her until we can track her down."

"She's the main player in the piece, sir," one of the other players voiced nervously. "We can't really start any of the sections without her - or someone running her lines."

"Why not let Gabriella do it?" Peggy spoke up from the pit before the stage, looking to where Gabriella was settling in the shadows off to the side. "Angelique can't possibly feel threatened by someone not even in the program."

"Gabriella?" The professor cocked his head, his eyes narrowing on the shadows where she sat. "And just _who_ are you, miss?"

"Gabriella Montez, sir," she replied, looking towards Troy for support. "But I couldn't-"

"Are you a student here, Miss Montez?"

"She's with me, sir," Troy volunteered, coming to her rescue.

"And she's the one who turned '_Say When_' into a duet," Peggy added. "Angelique would never miss the show, but Gabriella ran lines with Troy so she knows most of it already."

"I never learned them by heart," Gabriella contradicted. "Just the songs Troy needed to know."

"That's good enough then, Miss Montez," the professor waved her forward. "Have you seen the show?"

"Yes sir," she admitted, stepping out onto the stage reluctantly. "But I don't think-"

"Nonsense." Contradicting her, the professor pulled a script book from his bag and offered it to her. "Here. Start at the beginning and we'll run through it from start to finish to refresh everyone. How's your voice, Miss Montez?"

"Amazing," Troy interjected before she could demure any further. "She's at least as good as Angelique - better, in my opinion."

"Which I didn't ask for Mr. Bolton. Places people. Miss Montez, it's not necessary you stay on the stage while running the lines with the rest of the players."

Resigned, Gabriella stayed where she was. "I've seen the show sir; I remember most of what Angelique did for placements. She rarely left center stage."

There was a round of muffled laughter and the professor's lips kicked into a reluctant smile. "So she didn't. Very well then; if you will give the players their first cue?"

----------

Troy inhaled deeply as he waited for the murmur of the crowd to settle, stretching and rolling his shoulders as the introduction to the show played through, their teacher doing the announcement in the absence of the understudy and the main lead that were away from Christmas holidays. Unfortunately, Angelique wasn't absent - she never left for any reason except summer holidays - and she was in a foul mood.

The _only_ bright spot in the whole disaster was the fact Angelique coined herself a professional and wouldn't let her bad temper translate into her onstage performance - a blessing for the time the curtain was up and a curse when she wasn't center stage.

Taking his place in the chorale line, he waited patiently as the scene was set for the audience - and the music began. Gabriella had left him backstage, taking her seat in the front row - almost exactly in the same place she'd been the first time she'd come to his performance. Moments before leaving him, she'd told him with a smile that the coming season would see her as his biggest supporter whenever possible; despite the fact she wasn't performing opposite him, she loved to see him in his element - be it on stage or on the court.

Troy had needed to change out handkerchiefs and reapply the lip gloss all of the performers wore after the kiss she'd used to seal the promise. It had almost made him late but he didn't care. Kisses from his girlfriend were to be savored after all of the times they'd be interrupted through High School.

He found it amusing that Gabriella had supporters among his stage crew and had, not surprisingly, made fast friends with Peggy - the author of the show - and several of the stage hands that had witnessed her and Troy's heated embrace the last time they'd been. That the Professor had used her as a stand in when Angelique and her understudy had been a no show for rehearsals had done much to mellow people towards the girl who'd worn 'tree colors' the last time she'd been on set. Rehearsals had never been so much fun or passed so quickly.

Angelique, to say the least, had _not_ been happy with the stand in when she'd arrived twenty minutes to show time

Troy and Gabriella had invited Peggy to join them one night for coffee and Gabriella had insisted on adding Annette and Lisa along with Brad, Martin and Andrew. All were players or involved deeply in the theatre program, and Troy didn't have the heart to tell her no. Eventually the Theatre group would discover where Gabriella went to school, but he highly doubted it would matter to them - and he missed interacting with people who shared similar interests and didn't consider their relationship anything but special.

Gabriella had made an impression on his theater group just as she had on the student body back at East High.

As the curtain came up, the music began and Troy's focus shifted from Gabriella to the task at hand. An eerie kind of calm, fueled by the nervous butterflies in his stomach, settled over him as the chorus launched into the first set.

It was easy enough to imagine Gabriella's voice leading the chorus instead of Angelique's soprano, and Troy let his gaze wander over the crowd. Gabriella was seated in the front row next to his professor - the man didn't have any other lines once the introduction was completed - and he was pleased to see the two of them engaged in a low discussion as they watched the show. Troy suspected Gabriella would be invited back to rehearsals and future shows he participated in, if for no other reason than her wit.

Scanning beyond the first few rows, he searched for Ms. Montez and her group of 'work friends' who'd been so keen to see the show. He couldn't remember the seats the tickets had been listed for and by the end of the first song, a cursory examination of the audience - another near sold out show - had yielded no Ms. Montez. It was possible, he conceded as he stepped off stage, that they were late to the show or he'd simply missed them. Seeing as how he was looking for a single face in several hundred - and couldn't remember the seats on the tickets - he wasn't really surprised.

The show continued, Troy taking his time to warm up for the big scene that was coming with Angelique. He ran over his lines in his head, unable to help smiling as he remembered his professor - and the rest of the stage crew - clapping when he and Gabriella had sung the duet and finished the scene. It had been a moment out of time for them both and the applause had drawn them from the fog that always seemed to envelop them when they sang together.

Troy wouldn't be surprised if he learned his Prof had asked Gabriella to join their little troupe. It was, of course, impossible, but she'd be flattered to be asked no doubt.

Progressing, Troy listened with half an ear as 'Vi' sang a solo, Angelique's voice stretching its full tones towards the ceiling and piercing the ear drums almost sweetly. There was no doubt the girl could sing and Troy suspected she was doing an extra pointed job of it tonight after having overheard Gabriella singing the final song with the chorus line.

Competition did wonders for Divas.

The scene with the duet between Troy and Angelique went off without a hitch and it was only as they stared at one another that a movement in the audience caught Troy's attention. Not moving his head, his gaze flicked sideways - and he went rigid. Before he could be sure of what he was seeing, the curtain dropped - but he remained frozen in place, disbelief sliding across his features.

"Well, that was the most lack luster performance you've ever given, Troy Bolton," Angelique told him scathingly, her whispered voice shielded from the audience by both heavy fabric and resounding applause. "If you sang any slower, they'd think you were asleep!"

"It's a ballad," Troy shot back, shaking off his surprise. He had to be wrong. "It's _supposed_ to be slow."

"We're not trying to put them to sleep," the Diva returned haughtily. "I'll just have to have Peggy increase the tempo for the last show."

Troy grabbed her by the upper arm, marching with her off the stage as they were almost run over by one of the stage crew as they changed the scenery. "You won't," he told her succinctly. "The song is fine the way it is."

"It would be better faster." She looked down her nose at him, jerking her arms from his hold. "_You _just like it the way it is because your little brunette had something to do with it."

"Gabriella may have helped me learn it, but if you put a fast song that that point in the show, the impact of that scene will be lost - and you know it," Troy darted a look to the side. "_You_ just don't like it because Gabriella came up with the idea!"

"Your little friend doesn't hold a candle to me," Angelique told him bluntly. "I don't like it because it's not dignified for someone of my stature to be singing it with someone like _you_."

"What - someone with talent?"

Angelique's expression was priceless - and she wasn't given a chance to respond as her name was called and one of the stage hands drew her away. Her glare as she recovered was pure venom and Troy winced as she turned away. He'd just made an enemy all because he couldn't keep his lips sealed.

"Troy!"

The rest of the show went off without a hitch, though Angelique's performance opposite Troy was nothing but flawless despite the sparks of hatred shooting through her gaze ever time the audience couldn't see her face. Troy kept his cool, knowing she was doing his best to unnerve him, and he completely forgot about what he thought he'd seen.

It wasn't until the end of the show that he was reminded and a call he'd have known anywhere echoed above the applause.

"_Way to show em, Hoops_!"

Faltering in his bow, his head came up abruptly, following that call back to its source - and a disbelieving expression crossed his face. Chad, Taylor, his parents and Ms. Darbus all stood alongside Ms. Montez clapping enthusiastically. Regaining himself to finish his bows, he cast a look at Gabriella - and found her darting up the aisle towards the visitors, an ecstatic look on her face.

Taking the last of the bows, the crew filed off stage - except Troy; he didn't follow and instead jumped down into the orchestra pit, hopped the wall and followed closely on Gabriella's heels. Gabriella was already laughing, tears streaming down her cheeks as she wrapped Taylor in a enthusiastic death grip, nearly knocking her over.

"Oh my gosh, when did you... how... it's _so _good to see you guys!"

"I've missed you, sunshine," Taylor's response was just as enthusiastic, tears streaking down her face too. "The look on your face, girl!"

"Gabster!"

Gabriella freed one hand from Taylor and pulled Chad into their hug with a laugh. "Chad. You're behind this aren't you?"

He hugged both her and Taylor tightly, one arm around each of them. "I wish I could say I was, but your mom's the one who orchestrated this."

Gabriella lifted her gaze to her mother's and was nearly sent sprawling as Troy caught her from behind, one arm encircling her as he ruffled Chad's hair. "Chad, man!"

"What's up, Hoops?" Chad grinned. "Nice duet."

"Gabriella could have sung it better," Taylor interjected and then blushed. "Instead of the girl playing Vi, I mean."

"She most certainly could have."

"Ms. D!" Troy separated from the group hug and, to his teacher's surprise, leaned forward to wrap his arms about her shoulders. "I wasn't sure if you'd be able to make it; I'm so glad you're here!"

"And miss this performance?" She sounded affronted. "You have much improved, Troy."

"What, no Mister Bolton?"

"Not tonight." Her smile was proud. "That was a wonderful performance."

"Thanks." He released her with a sheepish smile. "I think it helped that Gabriella got roped into doing our rehearsals tonight when Angelique never showed up. The whole crew responded to her."

"And so they should," Ms. Darbus told him tartly. "Miss Montez has ever been an uplifting presence; haven't you, Miss Montez?"

Gabriella blushed. "I wouldn't know Ms. Darbus."

"We would!" Chad and Taylor chorused, hugging her again before letting her go. Taylor grabbed her hands - and promptly forgot what she was about to say as her fingers encountered the smooth band on the ring finger of Gabriella's left hand. "And _what_ is this? Is this... _Troy_!"

"What?"

He turned from greeting his parents to see Taylor holding up Gabriella's left hand pointedly. The brunette was trying to tug it free, but Taylor wasn't having any of it. "If this is what I think it is and no one told me, you'll be singing soprano for a week!"

"Troy?" His mother looked from the pointedly tapped finger against the ring on Gabriella's hand to her son, searching his face.

Exasperated, Troy reached over and grabbed Gabriella's hand, pulling her snugly against his side. "It's not an engagement ring, if that's what you're thinking, so chill, okay, Taylor?"

"Oh," she didn't look as if she knew to be happy or sad about the revelation. "Then what's it doing on her _ring finger_?"

"It didn't feel right on my right hand," Gabriella looked up at Troy, smiling as she placed her hand on his chest - and directly over the ring hidden under his shirt. "Troy got it for me for my birthday. It's a... a promise ring."

"Like you need one of those." Chad looped his arm around Troy's shoulders, "I knew you were whipped Hoops, but I figured another year at least before you were buying her a ring."

"Ha ha," Troy shrugged off his best friend with a jerk of his shoulders. "What do you say we get out of here?"

"Coffee at my place," Ms. Montez cut in with a smile. "You're all more than welcome to come."

"I've got to change," looking back towards the stage, Troy could see the crew tearing down; they had one performance left and anything that could be put away was. "I'll have to meet you guys there."

"And Troy's my ride," Gabriella added, looking towards her mother. "Unless the van suddenly grew another seat belt."

"You and Taylor go with your mom," Chad volunteered. "I'll keep Troy company while you two catch up."

Gabriella met Troy's gaze quizzically. He shrugged, telling her without words that it was up to her; he didn't mind. She smiled - and Troy winked at her. They were completely unaware of their parents and an indulgent Ms. Darbus watching them - smiles on their faces - as they went through a series of silent communications only a couple who'd been together a long time would understand.

"If Chad doesn't mind helping me push my car when it breaks down, I don't mind trading you for him tonight."

Gabriella laughed, her eyes dancing. "Careful what you wish for Wildcat." Stretching up on tip toe, she brushed a kiss across his cheek. "I'll see you at mom's."

Reluctantly letting her go, Troy stood aside as they passed by him. Ms. Darbus hung back as Taylor and Gabriella fell into step behind her mother and Troy's parents. She waited until they were a few steps away before turning to Troy and Chad.

Troy smiled faintly. "You were right, Ms. D."

"About what?"

"How comfortable I am up there."

"Oh?" She regarded him shrewdly. "And I thought I detected a hint or two of unease."

Troy didn't so much as glance Chad's way, but he knew his best friend had backed off to give him a moment with his mentor. "One or two," he agreed. "I still feel funny playing off anyone but Gabriella. My professor says it's just a matter of time."

"Perhaps. Or perhaps you have already had ideal chemistry on, as well as off stage, and cannot settle for anything less." She reached up to remove her glasses. "Whatever the reason, Troy, it is very rewarding to see you are not squandering your abilities by just playing basketball."

His lips kicked into a half smile. "You'd have to thank Gabriella for that one, Ms. D. If not for her, I'd never have had the courage to chase both. Are you... going to coffee at Ms. Montez's house?"

"Normally I would decline."

"But?"

"I believe tonight is a special circumstance."

"_Troy!_"

He turned, seeing his professor waving him down and he lifted his hand in response. "I have to go Ms. D. Unless... you'd like to meet my teacher?"

"I would be delighted."


	32. Unexpected Surprises: Part 7

**Author's Note: **Likely the last update before Christmas; see ya'll sometime after the 25th and enjoy whatever holidays you may, or may not, celebrate this time of year. ;)

_Unexpected Surprises - December 19__th_

_Part 7_

"Dude, I can't believe you didn't tell me you have Gabi a ring." Chad folded his hands behind his head as the truck turned out onto the main highway taking them back to Palo Alto.

"It was for her birthday, man," Troy returned, shoulder checking before changing lanes. "I've talked with you all of once - and that was tonight. I can't believe you didn't tell me you were coming out!"

"So we're even," Chad tilted his head back. "But you'd have to thank Gabi's mom; she's the one who suggested it."

"And what, you just happened to have a plane ticket?"

"Ha! Right - more like my folks knew I'd want to see you if I could so this is their Christmas present to me; and you."

"You have the coolest parents. You'll have to thank them for me when you get home." Troy glanced at his friend and jabbed him in the shoulder. "So how long as you staying?"

"Taylor and I leave on Tuesday; though I think Ms. D is only here until tomorrow and your folks are headed for Hawaii on Sunday."

"So you're here for the Colgate game."

"Yeah," Chad grinned. "So what happens if I wear my Red Hawks jacket?"

"You'll probably get jumped."

"Or ignored; though _you_ might get razzed."

"What else is new?"

"You tell your team about Gabs yet?"

"Since when have I had the chance to talk to them since I spoke with you?" Troy wanted to know with a speaking glance. "I spent my day moving half my stuff to Gabriella's mom's and half of her stuff to our place."

"Is that the complicated part of this moving thing?"

"You could call it that. We compromised; her mother asked us to house sit until she's done this big deal, but my lease doesn't expire until the end of January."

"So she's moving in with you."

"And I'm moving in with her." Troy signaled, checking his mirrors and blind spots before changing lanes to pass another truck. "The bottom line is that my apartment isn't just mine anymore - but neither is Gabriella's mother's place just her mother's. For ten months or so it'll be just the two of us."

"I can tell you're looking forward to it." Chad cracked an eye, his brown orbs glittering. "Does this mean I'll be uncle Chad by _next_ Christmas?"

"Dude, what is it with you wanting to be Uncle Chad all of a sudden?"

Chad's grin was incorrigible. "I want to spoil your kid rotten so he's as much of a terror to you as we were to your dad."

"Gabriella and I are _not_ going to make you an honorary Uncle any time soon!" The look Troy shot his friend was disgusted. "Finishing College is more important than starting a family - besides, we're not even engaged yet."

"You don't need to be to have a kid," Chad put in logically.

"We're more responsible than that." _Normally_, he amended silently,_ and from here on out_.

"Ah ha!" Chad sat up straight, pointing an accusing finger at him. "You _are_ more responsible than that? I knew it, there was no way you'd make it to another New Years - not after you came out here for her!"

"So? Maybe it was just time," shifting in his seat, Troy checked his mirrors again to avoid looking at his best friend. Suddenly, he wished he'd insisted on Gabriella coming home with him. "We weren't going to stay platonic forever."

"Dude, you two _redefined_ platonic. Come on, eight months for a first kiss because you wanted it to be perfect?" Chad leaned back against the door, regarding his best bud shrewdly; he knew about Troy's lack of experience, had in fact ribbed him about it on occasion, but he did respect Troy's decision. It took guts to be in the kind of relationship he was with Gabriella and not succumb to the pressures of their peer group. All seriousness, he kept his gaze glued to Troy's features. "Was she worth the wait?"

"Gabriella's _always_ worth the wait," countered Troy softly, unwilling to get into details and suspecting Taylor would likely be giving Gabriella similar treatment that night. "Dude, no offense, but I'd rather _not_ talk about this."

"That good huh?"

"Chad."

"Okay, okay," Chad held up his hands defensively. "I can take a hint."

"Sometimes." Troy countered dryly, hitting their turn off smoothly. "So how'd you get Taylor to come out here with you anyway?"

"Get her to come? She begged me to help her once she heard where I was going. When I told Gabriella's mom, she bought Taylor's ticket as a Christmas present to Gabi. Sounds like Ms. Montez knows just how much you two have been missing your friends."

"Ms. Montez is pretty awesome," Troy agreed. "So where are you guys staying?"

"Sounds like your folks are crashing at her place and Ms. Darbus is staying at some motel."

A sinking sensation gripped his chest. "And you and Taylor?"

"Taylor and I figured we'd crash with you guys. Gabriella's had Taylor over before and I didn't think you'd mind if I snagged your couch for a couple of days."

Which meant no Gabriella; which meant no misbehaving; which meant sleeping by himself. Suddenly Taylor and Chad's visit seemed _really_ ill timed. He'd been looking forward to spending some quality alone time with his girl and now it sounded like they were going to have guests until Christmas. Not that he didn't _want_ Chad or Taylor there to visit, he'd just wished they'd timed it for say... the following week.

"My couch." Troy winced. "I'll have to clear it with Gabriella, man; the apartment isn't just mine anymore."

"Was it ever just yours?"

Chad knew him too well. "Tell me you _wouldn't_ have given Taylor a key in the same circumstance?"

"Who's to say man?" Snickering, Chad patted the dashboard of the truck as they pulled up in front of the Montez house. "What the heck - we didn't break down once; did you finally get that fuel pump replaced?"

"Something like that," Troy put the truck into park and shut her down. "People don't trust a mechanic that can't keep his own vehicle running."

"Mechanic?" Chad laughed as he slid out of the cab. "Oh _man_! Dude, that's _priceless_! What do they do, have you changing the oil?"

"Sometimes," Troy closed the door and came around the front end to fall into step with Chad as they headed for the front door. "Sometimes I actually get to do something useful."

"But, a mechanic man? When do you have time for a job?"

"He doesn't," Gabriella teased from the swing on the front porch where she and Taylor were waiting for them, drawing the boy's attention. "But somehow he makes it work; I still haven't figured out his scheduling system."

"What is this, pick on Troy night?"

"What night isn't?" Taylor teased. "Did you boys have fun?"

"What, waiting for Hoops to primp like a teenage girl heading for a date?" Chad scoffed, climbing the stairs to the porch two at a time. "It's n_ot _my idea of a good time - Gabi's maybe."

Gabriella rolled her eyes with a laugh. "I bet you were talking with him through his door the whole time."

Troy burst out laughing at Chad's stunned expression. "She's got your number, man."

"I haven't seen you in over a month and we didn't get a chance to talk last time I did; what'd you think I was going to do?"

"It's okay, Chad," Taylor grinned, wrapping an arm around his waist as he collapsed to the swing between her and Gabriella. "We all know you've been pining after Troy since he left you for California."

"_Pining_?!"

Gabriella scrambled out of the way as Chad lunged into Taylor, the two of them laughing as they sprawled across the chair - and Chad proceeded to tickle Taylor mercilessly.

"Take that back, McKessie!"

Troy took the opportunity to pull Gabriella to his side - and when she looked up at him, nodded to the side. She glanced back at their friends - Chad demanding Taylor give him his due - and took a step back. Troy did the same as they back down off the steps, leaving a shrieking, laughing Taylor threatening retribution as Troy ducked down under the rail's edge, bringing Gabriella with him.

Together, their hands linked and fingers entwined, they ducked around the side of the house. Troy stopped, pulling her close, and ducked his head to hers. Gabriella melted against him, one hand curving around his neck, the other still caught in his and now pressed into the small of her own back. The kiss was heated, full of frustration she didn't quite understand, and she returned it full measure.

Breaking away after a moment with a soft groan, Troy leaned back against the house and ducked his forehead to hers. Releasing her hand, he grasped her hip - and pulled her flush against him, between his knees. "I think Chad has the _worst_ timing ever."

"He's not here right now."

"Close enough, with him around the corner, I'm expecting to be called back any second."

"Can't relax, Wildcat?" Her tone was teasing, her fingers tracing the shell of his ear and twisting in his hair. "I'll help you relax later."

"No you can't," Troy knew he sounded pained, but he couldn't help it. After this morning, all he wanted was a little alone time with his girl - and they weren't going to get it. "Chad and Taylor want to stay with us."

Pulling away, she regarded him in confusion. "What do you mean stay with us? Even if we all crash on the floor, our apartment's not big enough for all of us."

"Chad wants to use the couch and... from the sound of it, Taylor wanted to crash with you - here."

"Here? As in, mom's house, here?"

Troy nodded. "Taylor didn't mention it?"

"Not yet; she was too busy telling me about Yale and her classmates."

"Chad and Taylor are apparently staying through to Tuesday; courtesy of your mother."

Gabriella's expression turned mutinous. "Then she can put them up. Taylor can have my room and Chad can use the guest room."

"My parents are staying with her too."

"Oh. Then Chad can sleep on her couch."

"Or our couch?" Troy sighed. "No matter which way we do this, one of us has an unexpected guest."

"Unless we give Taylor and Chad the apartment and crash here."

"No way." His response was immediate as he shook his head adamantly. "With all of our parents under the same roof you just _know_ my dad will have something to say about it."

"Will that change where you sleep?"

"No, but it would be uncomfortable." He looked a little ruffled around the edges. "Your mom might be cool with the fact we've taken an adult step in our relationship, but my parents haven't a clue yet. I'd like to keep it that way for as long as humanly possible."

She laughed softly, running her fingers through his hair and lifting her other hand to join its mate. "You've been looking at me like I'm dessert all night, Troy. They'd have to be blind not to know _something_ has changed even if not what exactly."

"Well, something has changed," he bent to gently nip at the column of her neck. "But that doesn't mean I want my _parents_ to know you're sharing my bed."

"Or you're sharing mine... _Troy_..."her head fell to the side as he found the sensitive spot that made her boneless. "This... this isn't.. _Tr-oy!_"

"This isn't what?" his breath was hot across the smooth column as his lips touched the exposed flesh just above her collar line, his tone ragged. "Madness? It feels like madness..."

"We... can't."

"I know," he groaned agonized, sliding his hands down her to her backside. One of her legs curled upwards, and it brought them together as he caught her behind the knee, holding her in place. "But that doesn't change the fact I still want you."

"_Hey Hoops, where'd you disappear to, man?_"

They froze, and their forehead touched as Troy let out a ragged breath. "If I strangle him, can you dispose of the body?"

She laughed softly, her eyes dancing and despite the fact Troy had been _mostly_ kidding, she knew the same frustration he did. Chad always would have the worst timing in the world. Or maybe they did; either way, when put together, it resulted in a lot of frustration on their part. More so this time around as they had an outlet - but couldn't use it.

Slowly, Troy eased her back to the ground and lifted his head, scanning the area for his friend. Gabriella stepped away so Troy could arrange himself more comfortably, her eyes sparkling as her hands covered his and 'helped'.

He growled at her softly. "Keep that up and Chad will find us in a position that will scar him for life."

"Liar."

"_Hoops_!"

"Over here, man," Troy supplied, claiming Gabriella's hand as he pulled her around the side of the house.

"And just _where_ did you two disappear to, hmm?" Taylor looked at them knowingly. "You weren't gone long enough for a qui-"

"_Tay_!" Gabriella hissed at her friend, color blooming in her cheeks. "We were _talking_ about where you two will be sleeping."

"More like where you two will be... _sleeping_," Taylor grinned knowingly. "We didn't figure you'd mind the extra house guests for a few days."

"We _don't_," Gabriella told their friends firmly, squeezing Troy's hand in apology. "Really. There's just... a lot to take in today, that's all. This really is the best Christmas present we could get though."

"Even if you don't know where to put us?" Even Chad sounded amused. "So, Hoops, what's the final decision?"

With a resigned sigh, Troy glanced at Gabriella, knowing what the most logical thing was - and hating it despite the fact he was going to do it anyway. "You can crash on our couch, man; the girls can stay here so they can keep my folks up with their giggling all night long."

Swatting him, Gabriella let go of his hand - and was promptly pulled bodily back against him for a tight hug. "You owe me," Troy whispered to her, his lips buried in her hair and brushing against her ear.

"Troy? Gabriella?"

The four young adults on the front lawn turned as Ms. Montez appeared in the doorway. "Oh, there you are. There are snacks on the table and your parents and Ms. Darbus would like to visit for a bit before they leave tomorrow. Chad and Taylor will be here for a few days yet."

Sheepishly, the four trekked into the house, Troy releasing Gabriella only to sling an arm about her shoulders as she caught him about the waist and they entered the house together. The laughter coming from the living room was warm and inviting and Gabriella stepped past Troy into the living room to give his parents hugs that they'd missed out on before, back at the theater in her excitement to see Taylor.

Troy stopped in the doorway, the last one in, and leaned against the jamb. His mother and Gabriella were exchanging hugs and speaking in low tones, smiles on both of their faces. He loved to watch her interact with his mom - and he knew his parents already considered her as good as a daughter-in-law despite the fact there was technically nothing formal between them. Mindful of his promise, Troy knew there wouldn't be for a couple of years yet. He and Gabriella had only just started on this trek together and half of the fun was going to be the journey.

"Ah, what's this? Someone's not paying attention." Ms. Montez stood, reaching for her camera with a smile on her lips. "Troy, look up."

He did - and blinked.

Mistletoe.

Whoops.

He'd been so busy he hadn't really felt like it was Christmas in some ways, but seeing the little green plant made him realize that Ms. Montez had decorated the living room since that afternoon. It wasn't finished - the tree still needed to be done - but the carols playing softly in the background and that tradition he'd inadvertently stepped into made the season abundantly clear.

Ms. Montez waved her daughter forward. "Go on, Gabi, I want a picture of the two of you under there."

Troy has a sneaky suspicion they'd been set up. Gabriella's gaze locked with his and the mirth in her brown orbs said she suspected the same thing. Hamming it up, he extended his hand dramatically, striking a pose that made the adults laugh. "Would you grace mine lips with your kiss, fair lady?"

Giggling, Gabriella carefully schooled her features into a mimicry of Angelique's haughty expression from the show. "And grace t'would be, fool - a boon you've not earned."

"Only the fool for you."

Gabriella laughed along with everyone else as Troy dropped to one knee, his free hand over his heart. She stepped into him, bending to brush her lips across his, unable to keep the grin from her face or the laughter from bubbling between them. They both looked and sounded ridiculous. There was a flash as her mother took a picture.

"Okay, you clowns; now a proper one. Troy, get up."

"This isn't a photo shoot."

"No, but it's my Christmas gift to myself," Ms. Montez informed him tartly. "A serious picture of the two of you under the mistletoe; our first Christmas in Palo Alto."

Troy rose to his feet and lifted the hand Gabriella had trapped in his. Using it for leverage, he spun her in place, trading his spot under the mistletoe with her. Her laughter was still evident on her features - until Troy lifted her captured hand to his lips and brushed them across her knuckles. Her smile slowly died, her expression turning serious.

Their gazes locked, Troy stepped close, forcing her head back as she searched his expression for intention. The silence in the room was completely un-noticed as Troy threaded his fingers through hers, his head slowly coming down. Gabriella's eyes fluttered closed as their lips connected, Troy's free hand coming up to cup her face. Their lips locked, and held, the flash of the camera part of a background they were only peripherally aware of.

It was that same flash that brought them out of the trance, however, when Troy pulled back, opening his eyes to look down into Gabriella's. The smile that crossed his face was gentle and hers echoed it - until the flare of light from across the room brought them crashing back to reality.

Color flooded Gabriella's cheeks as she realized what had just happened. Her mother, however, made light of it. "Thank you, sweetie. I'll be sure to send one your way, Jack."

"I'll put it on my desk at school," Troy's dad returned, tongue in cheek, "maybe it'll give the team some motivation."

"It would be put to better use in the theatre," Ms. Darbus interjected, surprising her former students by joining in. "It would motivate Sharpay and Miss Gold to reach for something other than one another's throats."

The laughter in the room broke the slight awkward tension that had formed and Troy pulled Gabriella towards the cold fireplace, settling on the floor before it - and dragging her down in his lap. Unresistingly, she leaned back into him, accepting a glass Taylor passed her way, and then another for Troy.

"How is the program coming this year, Ms. D?"

"The Fall Musicale wasn't nearly as spectacular as last year's, but the students have learned quite a bit because of it. I can only hope the Winter Musicale will be more... professional."

"Like ours was?" Troy asked, amused.

"The professional manipulations of Sharpay aside, your show, _Mister Bolton_," Ms. Darbus told him pointedly. "Was very professionally done. Kelsi did wonders with you and Miss Montez."

"Kelsi would tell you she had a lot to work with," Gabriella demurred, taking a sip of the hot chocolate Taylor had provided them with. "I did enjoy it though - once I got over my stage fright."

"Stage fright?" Jack looked at Gabriella in surprise. "You didn't look at all scared, Gabriella."

"You can thank Troy for that."

Troy shrugged it off. "She just needed to focus on something other than the crowd."

"What - you?"

"It seemed like a good idea at the time - and it worked." The smugness in Troy's assertion made everyone laugh. "But it was Gabriella who convinced _me _to chase more than just basketball."

"All the way to the California cost," Chad added in disgust. "No offence, Gabster."

"You're just bitter," Gabriella teased in response. "Next time you guys play the Bears, Troy will have bragging rights."

"Ha!"

And that was all it took to shift the conversation to basketball.

For the next hour, the guys debated rapid fire back and forth, arguing the merits of various teams, players and plays, Coach Bolton going so far as to pull Troy and Chad outside at the end of it to collect the ball from the back of Troy's truck. They didn't have a hoop, but coach had a point to make. That left the women in sudden silence - and laughter erupted almost immediately.

"Some things never change," Mrs. Bolton told them, grinning. "Jack's been doing that for years. When he can't make his point, he _makes_ his point."

"Troy must take after his dad in that respect," Gabriella came back with a smile. "He does the same thing on the court with his team. I'm waiting for the day it backfires."

"Backfires?" Taylor scoffed. "Troy lives a charmed existence. It wouldn't surprise me if they eventually made him Captain because of his abilities."

"He wouldn't take it; he doesn't want the responsibility."

"So he says," Mrs. Bolton informed Gabriella knowingly. "I know my son, Gabriella; he takes control as naturally as breathing and it's going to cause him problems."

"Then why'd Coach Bolton make him Team Captain in High School?"

"The team voted Troy as a the only Captain the year you joined us; they voted him and Chad as co-captains in your senior year. Jack can veto a choice in captains, but Troy - and eventually Troy and Chad - were what the Wildcats needed to go as far as they did." Mrs. Bolton took a sip of her drink. "Jack may have pushed Troy, but the ultimate decision to accept the position was Troy's. I don't know a single player on that team that would have turned down the Captain's position; Troy included. It's quite a crowning achievement to be voted Captain."

"Or co-captain?"

"Or co-captain," Mrs. Bolton amended. "Troy is just a take charge kind of guy."

"Like his mother," Taylor teased. "Coach Bolton is great, but I don't know how you controlled him and Troy; Chad's told me about how you used to break up their games inside the house."

Laughing, Mrs. Bolton shrugged. "It was like playing den mother to a bunch of playful bear cubs. Troy, Chad, Zeke, Jason and the rest of the Wildcats were always over at our place. Jack, for all I love the man, is overly focused on Basketball sometimes and doesn't always put his foot down."

"Then you are the real source of discipline behind the basketball team - and likely the reason they won the championship." Ms. Darbus' wise observation was unexpected and took the others by surprise. "Perhaps his current team would benefit from your influence as well."

"I... don't know." Mrs. Bolton cocked her head at the Drama teacher in admiration. "I've never thought of it that way."

"Neither has he." Rising to her feet, Ms. Darbus put her glass aside. "I hate to leave so early, but my flight is first thing in the morning."

"I'll get my keys." Ms. Montez hurriedly rose to her feet. "Gabriella?"

"I know, mom," she waved her away. "I'll play hostess. Drive safe."

"As always, it is a pleasure. Thank you for your hospitality, Ms. Montez, it has been a most delightful..." Ms. Darbus' voice trailed off as the two women left the house.

Mrs. Bolton patted the sofa where she'd been left on her own. "Come and join me girls; what's this I hear about a move?"

"Move?" Gabriella's eyes widened fractionally as she was placed on the spot - and no escape. She thought frantically. "Oh, you mean my mom's move to Seattle."

"Of course. What other move would I mean?"

"Your move in with Troy," Taylor supplied.

"Tay!"

"What, shed find out eventually. At lease she's hearing it from you and not your mom."

"You're moving in with Troy?"

Gabriella cast Taylor a dark look, a faint blush dusting her cheek bones. "Moved, actually," she clarified reluctantly. "Troy and I spent this afternoon - before the show - moving our things."

"And where are you moving to? His apartment?"

"For a while." While reluctant to give the information, Gabriella knew Taylor had a point. Troy's parents would have to be told about their living arrangements eventually. "Mom's going to Seattle for ten months or so starting in January and she asked us to house sit. We talked about it so we're going to live here some days, at the apartment others, until the lease is up on the apartment at the end of January. Once it's over, we'll move the last of Troy's things here and we'll live here until mom gets back from Seattle."

"It sounds as if you and Troy have thought this out."

Gabriella shrugged. "We had to. We were initially going to move into his apartment, but mom gave us another option and it's a more... economical option than living at the apartment."

"Plus you're doing your mother a favor," Mrs. Bolton nodded knowingly. "That son of mine is smarter than I gave him credit for."

"I'm sure it doesn't hurt doing favored for his future mother-in-law," Taylor teased Gabriella, nudging her hip. "He should give lessons on how to stay in the good books with your in laws."

"Who's in-laws?"

The three women looked up as Chad, Troy and Mr. Bolton strode back into the room, sweat glistening on their faces. Taylor grinned slyly. "I was talking about Troy's _future_ in law; Ms. Montez."

"A little premature there, Taylor," Troy informed her dryly. "Wait until-"

"-you've got a ring on her finger?" Taylor tapped Gabriella's hand - and Gabriella promptly hid it under her thigh with a glare at her best friend. "I think I did."

"It's _not_ an engagement ring," Troy reminded her, exasperated. "It's something called an alliance ring. Look," he pulled the chain holding the second ring from his shirt. "It's half of a whole – part of a set."

_Just like Gabriella and I are_.

Silence descended in the room as his unspoken words reverberated through the room. Looking from his parents to his friends - and finally to his girlfriend, Troy tucked the ring back inside his shirt. "But when I _do_ propose to her, Taylor, you won't doubt that I've done it."

"I'll hold you to that," Taylor promised. "Though there's nothing you can possibly do by now that will top Chad's invitation to Senior Prom in the middle of the cafeteria."

Troy laughed. "We'll see about that."

"I heard about that from Zeke," Mrs. Bolton teased Chad, deflecting their attention from her son. "He said you must have been enrolled in the Bolton school of romantic gestures."

"He's a dead man."

"It's not a _bad_ thing to be romantic," Jack conceded, "but Troy certainly didn't get that from me."

"_You_ could take lessons from _him_," Mrs. Bolton agreed, her eyes twinkling. "Maybe I just don't inspire you the way Gabriella does Troy."

"That," Troy jumped in before his parents dissolved into one of their play teasing matches, "is my cue to leave. It's been a long day, so if you'll excuse us, I'm going to say goodnight to my girl."

There were a few more good natured comments thrown about as Troy absconded with Gabriella to the front parlor, leaving Taylor and Chad with his parents. Out of sight, and earshot, Troy took it a step further and pulled her into the kitchen. It was dark, lit only by the bulb under the stove's hood, giving them a degree of privacy the merrily lit entry way wouldn't.

Gabriella stepped into Troy's arms, hers sliding about his waist. "Will you miss me tonight, Wildcat?"

"More than you know," he hugged her tightly. "I don't sleep well without you."

"Like we're be sleeping," she teased lightly, tilting her head to look up at him. "Not that you and Chad will be sleeping much either."

Pressing his lips to her forehead, he didn't disagree. "And you and Taylor will?"

"Probably not."

"Are you still sore?"

"No."

"Good."

Troy reached down, lifting her to the counter top and spreading her legs so he could stand between them. Gabriella's grip shifted, her hands framing his face and tilting it the necessary increment as she kissed him. Troy, his hands free, slid them up over her thighs and under the hem of her shirt. Her stomach muscles jumped at the intrusion, but she didn't tense this time as she had in previous explorations; instead Gabriella shifted into his grip. Her ankle crossed as she held him prisoner, holding him tightly. Sliding his hands around her back, Troy splayed them wide, not daring to do more than the innocent skin on skin contact lest he be unable to let her go.

"Will you dream of me?"

Panting, she stroked his cheeks with her thumbs, her eyes glittering in the dim light, her whole body thrumming with desire - and the knowledge that there was nothing they could do about it at that moment. "I never dream of anyone else."

"Me either," his lips kicked into a half smile before he leaned in to kiss her again -

"_Hoops_!"

- and groaned. "I really am going to kill him. There's a solution for dissolving bodies right - lye or something?"

Gabriella laughed softly, unlocking her ankle and letting him go. "You'll miss him once he's gone and you know it. Go on," she brushed her lips across his again. "Taylor and I will make do without you two."

"But I might not make it without _you_."

Giving him a gentle shove, Gabriella gasped as he hugged her close again - and proceeded to run his hands forward and down in a long, calloused caress that left her both breathless and tingling. "_Troy!_"

He kissed her again, lingeringly, before letting her go.

"_Troy_!" Chad sounded aggrieved. "Dude, you see her _every day_, can't I steal your for one night?"

Troy reluctantly pulled himself away. "I'll see you in the morning; don't lock your balcony door."

A smile curved her lips. "I'll be waiting."

With a wink and a grin, Troy was gone.


	33. Third Degree

**Author's Note: **Wow… there are almost 600 reviews for this story, something I _never_ saw as remotely possible when I started this little journey. Thank you to you – my readers – who are enjoying this; and to those of you who send me PMs with your thoughts and suggestions. Thank you. :)

_Third Degree _

It was after midnight by the time Troy and Chad made it back to the apartment, stopping by the court where he and his team mates threw hoops to do a little one on one. It gave them a chance to catch up on the off court stuff and to relax without his dad around. Not that they _minded_ playing with his dad, but there were things Coach Bolton didn't need to know about his son.

To Troy's surprise, Chad showed remarkable restraint

"Are you sure? You'd be more comfortable."

"There's no way I'm sleeping in your bed, man," Chad told Troy with a shake of his head as he threw his duffle bag next to the couch. "I'd never sleep knowing that's where you and Gabi do... whatever it is you do."

"I changed the sheets, dude. But," Troy shrugged, checking the linen closet and pulling out an extra set of towels. "If you want the couch, I'm not going to object."

"You don't honestly think I'm going to be sleeping on…woah,- what is this?" Troy looked back to find Chad with the _Dummies_ book in hand and a grin on his face. "User's manual?"

"Ha ha." Troy turned back to the linen closet. "You can borrow it while you're here if you want."

"Funny," Chad threw the _Dummy's_ book on the table and jumped back on the couch, stretching out. "So what's the deal, man?"

Pulling the last set of clean towels from the closet, Troy made a mental note to do the laundry before Chad and Taylor left; plus most of his clean clothes were at Ms. Montez's house. "What deal?"

"With this whole move thing. I mean, what are you and Gabriella going to do with the ten months you're all alone."

"We'll think of something."

"_Something_. Right. What happens if you fight?"

"Fight?" Troy dropped the towels on the couch. "Dude, since when do Gabriella and _I_ fight?"

"Lava Spring ring any bells?"

"We didn't exactly fight."

"She ditched you - and us - because of your screw ups." Chad reached for his bag, unzipping it and pulling his basketball out so he could spin it on his finger tips. "What happens when you screw up this time - where would you live?"

"Dude, it's not going to happen." Asserted Troy evenly. "You know what I went through without her before. You saw what happened when she first came out here to Stanford and that was a willing separation. I won't let it happen again."

"It's happened before and there's no way you can tell me it can't ever happen again; every couple goes through their ups and downs."

"What are you, the relationship expert?"

"Ha!" Chad scoffed. "Just a friend watching from the sidelines, man; I'd hate to see something come between you two."

"The only things between us right now are several blocks - and the unexpected visit of two of our best friends," Troy returned with a grin, collapsing on the couch across from Chad. "Not that we don't want you guys here, don't get me wrong, but your timing is a classic example of Danforth timing."

"Danforth timing?"

"Yeah, always interrupting Gabriella and me when we're trying to do something you'd rather not know about."

"Or see."

"Exactly." Troy chuckled. "Gabriella and I are doing fine, man. Better than fine. We've never been closer."

"Closer? Man, you're practically living in her skin. If you were any closer to her tonight, it would have been x-rated."

Even though he knew Chad was teasing, the observation was enough to make Troy shift uncomfortably. He'd thought they'd done an admirable job of keeping their public displays of affection to a minimum - especially with their parents and Ms. Darbus around. "I hope you're joking."

Chad shrugged, his eyes twinkling as he tossed the ball from hand to hand and then resumed spinning it lazily. "Mostly. But there's a newness between the two of you; we _all_ saw it when you had her under the mistletoe."

"We were just playing it up for the camera," Troy hedged, wondering if Chad was right. Had his parents seen the shift in his relationship with Gabriella? He's stepped closer to her during that kiss without thinking about it and she'd practically melted against him, fitting her body to his in reaction. Just the memory of it made him ache to hold her - to touch her.

"Dude, you might be a theatre performer, but you're a _horrible_ liar." The grin on Chad's lips was laced with mirth as he threw the ball at his friend. "To us who know you anyway. You and Gabi totally forgot you had an audience during that second kiss."

"Whatever man." Catching the ball, Troy focused on the lines, tracing the stitching before sending it spinning on his finger tips; it felt good to have it in his hands again. "I didn't know Ms. Montez had hung the mistletoe or I'd never have stopped there."

"You mean with the rest of us in the house," the dryness in Chad's tone made Troy grin. "If we hadn't shown up, I bet you would have noticed it and spent a good deal of the day trying to catch Gabriella under it."

With a shrug, Troy tossed the ball back to his friend. "I don't need to catch her under it to kiss her; without you around, we're not interrupted nearly as much."

"Must be frustrating." Troy arched his eyebrows at Chad's observation - and the laughed as he continued. "No one there to help build the tension? You'd never have gotten your 'perfect' kiss if it wasn't for me, man; you owe me."

"Gabriella and I would have been together as a couple a lot sooner if you hadn't constantly been interrupting us."

"The winter show wouldn't have been nearly as entertaining. The two of you were dancing around each other off and on stage for weeks - the rest of us were taking bets on when you'd finally have the guts to ask her out."

"Guts I don't lack," Troy returned archly, staring down at his best friend. "I never thought I was good enough for her."

"What?"

"I couldn't help it. You said it yourself Chad, she's an elevated IQ temptress girl; what did I have to offer her?"

"Troy Bolton; _Captain_ of the Wildcats Basketball Varsity team; most popular guy in school; Mister girls-would-die-to-go-out-with-me _Troy Bolton_ - didn't think he was good enough for math geek Gabriella Montez?" Chad howled. "Dude, you _never_ would have lived that down if I'd known!"

Shaking his head, grinning, Troy pushed off the couch. "I know - which is why I didn't tell you until now."

"You mean you're serious?"

"As a heart attack."

"What about now?"

"I still think she's too good for me, but she thinks I'm too good for her so I figure we deserve one another."

"No kidding." Chad suddenly turned serious. "Joking aside, you guys are being careful, right?"

Flicking his head to get his hair out of his eyes, Troy gave en exasperated sigh as he headed for the kitchen. "Yes, Chad. Can I get you something to drink?"

"Milk if you've got it; water if you don't."

Troy, who hadn't yet been to the store - he and Gabriella had intended to go in the morning to stock the cupboards and fridge - pulled a couple of liter water bottles from the fridge and headed back to the living room. "Why're you so worried about Gabriella and I anyway?"

Chad accepted the bottle of water, dropping the basketball into his lap as he twisted the lid with a nod of thanks. "We're like brothers, Troy; why _wouldn't_ I be worried about you and Gabriella?"

"Because there's no reason to be?" The pointed observation had no impact and Troy continued as Chad lifted the bottle to his lips. "We're fine, I swear."

"You're keeping her from your team, dude," Chad reminded him. "I gather you introduced her to your theatre group tonight, but somehow I don't think you told them what school she goes to."

"I'd rather they get to know her without the prejudice first, is that such a bad thing?"

Setting the basketball aside, Chad set his feet on the ground and looked at Troy seriously. "The longer you wait, man, the more likely it is that someone will find out some other way. I know you don't want to expose her to their jokes and whatever, but it's going to happen one way or another. At least if you pick the location and the setting, you'll be able to plan an escape route in the event something goes wrong."

"You sound like Taylor."

Chad grinned. "Only when she talks to you; I bet she's giving the Gabster a piece of her mind right now."

"Why would she..."

Troy trailed off as Chad simply slanted him a look and threw the ball his way once again. There was no point in asking why when the only logical answer was one that Taylor McKessie seemed to live by; because she could.

----------

"What is with you two?" Taylor demanded, fairly busting at the seams as she and Gabriella finally took their leave of her mother and Troy's parents shortly after one.

"With us?" Flopping back on her bed, a smile Gabriella's lips as she remembered the last time she'd been lying on it - and whom had held her as a willing captive.

"Stop it."

Snapping back to the present, Gabriella push herself up on her elbows. "Stop what?"

"Thinking about Troy," despite the serious nature of the request, Taylor's lips were twitching.

"Impossible," Gabriella shot back tartly, unable to keep the laughter from her voice. "He's just too distracting for his own good."

"I might as well ask for the world to start spinning in the other direction, huh?"

"Something like that, but hey, mom's always said we should attempt the impossible."

"I think asking you to think of something other than Troy is about as impossible as it gets." The girls shared a laugh as Taylor knelt by the bed, leaning half way across it. "So just what _have_ you been doing since graduation - other than one Troy Bolton?"

"Taylor!" Gabriella blushed, shaking her head. "How about my school work? You know, the _reason_ I'm at college."

"You _came_ to study?" Taylor feigned shock. "I'd have sworn you _came _because of a certain blue eyed boy who can't resist you."

"No; _he _came because... becau..." Gabriella belatedly caught the innuendo and threw her pillow at her friend. "Taylor! That's _awful_!"

"You're the one who said it, not me." Taylor grinned as she crawled onto the bed to stretch out, staring at the ceiling. "Still don't know what to make of it, Gabriella?"

There was no need to ask what "it" was. "It all feels kind of surreal; almost like it didn't happen."

"But you know it did."

"Yeah," Gabriella's response was soft, her fingers teasing one long curl where it lay against the side of her breast. Boy did it ever happen. This morning felt like a dream, but it was a dream that she could never have dreamed alone. Just the memory was enough to raise her temperature and revive the desire that had been sated - and then teased all evening. It helped that the awkwardness from the doctor and with her mom had hammered home the point; without them, Gabriella might have convinced herself she _had_ been dreaming. "Yeah..."

"No spacing," with a poke, Taylor brought her back to the present. "You're not getting out of this that easily, sunshine. So, tell me. What was it like?"

Blinking in surprise, Gabriella turned her head to look at her friend - and color rose in her cheeks again. "It... it's personal, Tay."

"I know that;" Taylor informed her tartly. "I don't want the anatomical replay - I'm just making sure you're okay. Obviously he didn't hurt you or you wouldn't have been sneaking off with him despite the fact you haven't seen me since graduation!"

"He didn't hurt me," Gabriella's lips curved into a soft smile. "Though I think I might have hurt him."

"_You_ hurt _him_? Not possible... is it?"

"Why not?" Gabriella rolled, reaching for her pillow and pulling it into her arms to hug it tight and wished it were Troy. "Neither of us got what we were expecting out of the experience... That's not a bad thing since Troy was expecting it to be excruciating for me after Mr. Smythe gave us that awful lecture on sexual reproduction."

Taylor made a face. "The man was a quack; don't tell me you guys actually _listened_ to him."

Unable to help it, Gabriella's blush deepened with a nod.

"Oh hon..."Taylor shook her head sympathetically. "No wonder you guys took things so slow."

"Didn't you and Chad?"

Taken aback by the question, Taylor blinked and then laughed - turnabout was fair-play and she wasn't about to shy from it. "Well, we didn't go all the way - I wouldn't have kept that from you - but we certainly had more experience than you and Troy did. Innocent fun mostly."

"Mostly?"

"I never told you when I got my copy of the _Sex for Dummies_ book," Taylor informed her slyly. "But it certainly wasn't when I hit college!"

"Taylor McKessie!" Gabriella looked at her friend aghast. "Are you trying to tell me you and Chad-"

"We read the book together."

"And what, experimented together?"

"Sometimes."

"_Taylor!_"

"Don't look so shocked; I'm the only virgin in this room right now miss I-went-all-the-way-with-East-High's-Superstar."

They stared at each other for a minute before Gabriella giggled, smothering it in the pillow. "He wasn't East High's Superstar at the time."

"_Former_ Superstar then," Taylor corrected with a roll of her eyes and a grin. "I'm glad you two didn't let Mr. Smythe's prejudices prevent you from taking this step, Gabriella. It would have been a shame if it had."

"You have _no_ idea."

"That good?"

A smirk crossed Gabriella's lips, surprising Taylor. "Better."

"Oh?"

"Troy took the lecture to heart more than I did so most of the reluctance was on his end; he borrowed the _Dummies_ book from the library a few days ago."

"From the _library_?" Taylor's tone was full of admiration. "Chad and I weren't that brave. I bought my copy so they could only look at me funny once."

"Troy doesn't figure we - he'll need it for very long." Gabriella rushed on before Taylor could call her on the slip. "I mean, he took it out because he wanted a different, more unbiased opinion about what to expect for our first time – a more practical assessment."

"You're blathering, Gabriella."

She snapped her lips shut.

"If Troy just picked it up recently, what's happened _recently_ that the two of you suddenly need help? I mean, wouldn't it have been easier just to let instincts guide you?"

"Maybe," Gabriella conceded. "Except Troy wasn't just scared, Taylor, he was terrified. He didn't care what would happen to him when we finally took that step, but he was paranoid there was nothing he could do to make it good for me. You remember what Smythe said?"

"Which part – about the pain?"

"Yeah."

"I didn't pay a lot of attention to Smythe; the guy was out to save the world from the evils of pre-marital sex and used his position as an influential member of our teaching staff to scare students into submission. I would have thought Troy... I figured he would have been experienced. You know – done it before."

"He wasn't – hadn't... didn't." Gabriella shook her head. "I think Smythe spooked him so badly he didn't dare. I mean, Troy'd had him for that class for two years before I met him – and his dad would have thrown a fit if he'd thought Troy had an interest other than Basketball."

"Like he did with you?"

"Exactly. Coach Bolton didn't make it easy for us at the start there."

"And yet... he's here."

"Crazy, huh?"

"No kidding." Taylor folded her legs in comfortably. "So what led to this sudden initiative on Troy's part anyway?"

That dissolved into an explanation of her birthday and the events leading up to it - including opening night of his performance - and how Troy had eventually caught her with the book. It tickled Taylor's sense of the ridiculous that Gabriella had been caught reading the book - even if that had almost directly led into the events of that morning.

"This _morning_?!" Taylor sat up with a jerk, looking at Gabriella in sudden realization. "Oh, hon, I didn't know! If I'd known..."

"You'd have come anyway."

"Well, yeah, but I could have convinced Chad to make other arrangements. Why didn't you tell me?"

Shrugging, Gabriella hugged the pillow again. "I don't know. I haven't seen you in over eight months, Tay; a night without Troy seemed like a small price to pay for being able to spend some time with you."

Taylor straightened and put her back to one of the bed posts at the foot of the bed. "How many nights have you spent without Troy since he got here? One, two? Even if you weren't... doing extracurricular activities, I'm sure you've slept with him – platonically of course."

"All the time," Gabriella's smile was wistful.

"So... when I hear the knock on your balcony door in a couple of hours, should I just pretend to be asleep or would you rather I suddenly have to use the washroom?"

"Tay!"

"What? It's a clinically proven fact that men who adjust to sleeping with their partners sleep worse when they're not there." That little fact was delivered in the matter-of-fact way or someone confident in their information. "It means Troy will be restless - if Chad doesn't keep him up talking all night - and with the apartment only a few blocks from here, it's logical to assume he'll come looking for you so he _can_ sleep."

"Then... you _won't_ mind if I unlock the doors so he doesn't have to knock and risk waking you?"

"I'm closer; I'll get it."


	34. Sleepless

_**Author's Note - Explanation:**_

_Some of you have been sending me PMs wondering when the next update will be – and I apologize for taking so long before updating, but something happened to the file in which I was writing… as I've explained it to some of you, here's what happened so you're all on the same page:_

_My computer ate about 50 pages of "Like Lightning" – more than half of it stuff that hasn't been posted; including this next chapter. In addition the file was corrupted. I was able to salvage part of the file and the beginning of the next update but I abhor re-writing anything and it's been tough to re-capture what I had before... and I was very happy with it._

_So happy, that I just about threw a fit when I found it missing. _

_My weeks have been spent trying to recover or repair the file - and slowly re-writing the next update which is more frustrating than fun, because my muse has already moved beyond this point in the story to the next one. _

_Two programs, some $$ and various other tactics later, I'm still missing a good deal of the next chapter (this chapter coming up). The length of this update was supposed to be twice what it is, but since I've re-written the section past where I've marked in the chapter below several times and been unable to come up with anything I'm remotely happy with compared to what I lost - you guys don't get the "M" rated chapter I planned at this juncture._

_The next couple of updates will be slow in coming because of what was lost, but once that's been re-written and I'm back into the swing of things, updates will become more frequent again._

_Sorry for making everyone wait; it's not intentional, I assure you – it's simply that I _**hate**_ re-writing anything... it's very discouraging. Re-writing isn't fun; it's a chore and this story was only ever written for "fun" – so if it's two weeks before the next update, don't worry. It's not abandoned; it's simply slow going until my muse is able to shift back into gear._

_On that note, _**if**_ I ever recover what I had, since I have the files saved separately, I'll integrate it into this chapter. If not, what you see is what you get._

_Oh – and if you notice that I'm updating anything else, don't be surprised. When I get frustrated with one story, I work on another._

_Thanks for your patience and your support guys; it's appreciated and it's humbling so many of you care. _

_Jade_

_P.S. Some of you are going to comment on Gabriella's choice of sleeping attire – the answer is this: she changed after Taylor went to bed. That particular question was answered in the part that was eaten so I'll answer it now before you ask ;)_

_----------_

_----------_

_Sleepless - December 20__th_

Troy stared at the ceiling of the apartment, his hands crossed behind his head, unable to see any detail in the semi-darkness. A semi-darkness that reminded him of what had happened just over twenty four hours ago - the clock read half past four. He and Chad had hit the sack with the intention of surprising the girls and his parents with breakfast. Ms. Montez shouldn't have to cook; and while neither Chad nor Troy was particularly good at it, there were breakfast places around that did take out.

At the rate he was going, he wouldn't be sleeping at all.

Rolling restlessly, he automatically reached his arm across the bed, a sense of unease winding through his system as it blindly searched for the young woman he consciously knew to be missing. This didn't feel... _right_ without Gabriella there. He'd had trouble sleeping during away games before - usually he'd simply called her to talk to her and it was enough - but he couldn't do that knowing he'd probably wake Taylor. If they were sleeping at all.

He _should_ have been sleeping; Chad was sleeping. In fact, his friend didn't seem to have any problem falling asleep once they'd settled on a course of action and rough outline for what to do that day. There was no reason, after all the surprises of the day before, that Troy should have had any trouble sleeping.

Except he smelled her; Gabriella's scent lingered on his pillows and comforter. Changing the sheets hadn't helped; he could still smell her. Despite the fact the sheets were new, his mind had no problem conjuring what she'd looked like in the semi-darkness; how she'd _sounded_ as he'd touched her for the first time. His whole body tightened as he remembered how it _felt_ to be within her - a part of her...

Agonizingly, he groaned and tossed the other way, flinging his arm over his eyes as he rolled back to his back. Torturing himself with the reminders of the previous morning was _not_ the way to sleep. Chad and Taylor were here until Gabriella's appointment on Tuesday and he would simply have to accept the fact anything they wanted to do would have to wait. Even if they waited his parents left, they were then obligated to behave so her physical could be completed - and the last thing Troy wanted to do was give the doctor another reason to postpone it.

Rolling, Troy heaved his feet over the side of the mattress and tucked his head to his hands, listening for Chad's deep - if loud - even breathing in the living room accompanied by the occasional snore. It was easy to pick out - but it didn't help him to relax. He felt wrong sleeping without her; even if they simply _slept,_ having her in his arms was comforting - and he knew she felt protected curled close to him. He'd held her less than six hours ago - but apparently six hours was too much when his brain logically knew there were way to see her.

With a flick of his fingers, he turned on the bed side lamp and dressed, checking on Chad every now and again to ensure his stealthy moves didn't wake his exhausted friend. Chad didn't so much as stir as Troy emerged from his bedroom a few minutes later, a back pack in hand. The Red Hawk was out like a light, using the basketball as a teddy bear, his arms cradling it protectively even in sleep. If Troy hadn't been so intent on slipping away, he _might_ have been tempted to take that picture - and ensure it made it to the right person at U of A.

As it was, he was tired - but also knew he wouldn't sleep until he saw his girl again - until she wrapped him in her arms.

Careful to keep his keys from jangling, Troy realized just before closing the door that Chad would probably be worried when he woke and Troy wasn't there. And while he didn't _intend_ to stay at the Montez house, Troy suspected Chad would be up before his return. Taking the time to scribble a quick note - and directions to the Montez home - he finally left the apartment.

Hitting the sidewalks, Troy kept his hoodie pulled low over his face as he broke into a jog. The audacity of what he was about to do didn't escape him and he knew he was subject to a serious ribbing and lecture if caught. Not to mention he probably looked like a hoodlum. With one hand, he pulled the hood back and adjusted the straps over his shoulders.

It didn't take him long to reach the Montez house and the lights were all out except for the small light in the kitchen he knew her mom kept on for safety reasons. Checking to ensure he wasn't seen, Troy slipped into the back yard. The hammock was still where he and Gabriella had hung it, still and silent at rest. Dropping the backpack, Troy nimbly leapt from the ground to reach the lowest of the branches. Using the side of the house as leverage, he lightly pushed off and swung himself upwards, into the branches. Landing easily - he really _was_ quite comfortable on the branches; something to do, he suspected, with the fact he had no fear of heights - he shifted his weight and reached for the next set, peaking over the side of the balcony's floor and into Gabriella's room.

Darkness greeted him.

Pulling himself upwards, Troy contorted around an inconvenient branch and finally used the same branch as a pivot so he could slide onto the deck. The whisper of cloth and a slight squeak as his rubber soles hit the polished wood were the only sounds that announced his presence as he crouched.

Looking around, he was relieved to see that the neighbors couldn't see the balcony - the branches of the trees obscured all but the most obvious, or colorful, movements. Rising slowly, Troy approached the door and tested the handle, smiling as it clicked softly, releasing the latch and swinging in. Moonlight illuminated the room as he stepped beyond the doorway and out of its direct light - and froze.

Gabriella was waiting for him.

She was sitting up in bed, covers covering her from waist down, dressed in one of his shirts again. Taylor was sound asleep beside her, her face turned towards the closed door of Gabriella's bed room. The intelligent brunette lifted her finger to her lips unnecessarily, holding her hand out to him.

As if pulled by an invisible thread, Troy crossed the room to her, his fingers sliding over hers in a caress that made them both shudder. The moonlight did unbelievable things to her eyes, turning them into molten pools of toffee - and he cocked his head in question towards the balcony doors. Gabriella used his hand to pull herself free of the covers, nodding as she glanced at Taylor.

Taylor stirred - only to settle almost immediately with a deep sigh.

Troy led Gabriella to the balcony, sweeping her into his arms as he passed through the portal and pulled it shut behind them. She opened her mouth to say something, but Troy's was already cutting off whatever she'd been about to say and a moment later thought fled as she was sliding down his body, his hands buried to the wrists in her hair cradling her head.

The solid edge of the rail bit into the curve of her buttocks and Troy lifted her with a shift of his hands as he pulled back, breathing heavily. Her breath came in gasps as she struggled to reign in her racing heart, becoming aware of her hands tangled in the fabric of his shirt - squarely over the similarly racing heart threatening to pound out of his chest. The precarious perch on the railing was rendered more so as Troy nudged her legs open to step between them - and as she slid backwards a little, the length of the tree that shaded her balcony lent her its strength. She should have known he wouldn't take any chances with her. Caught, she untangled her hands, sliding them firmly up his chest.

"You're _crazy_, Wildcat."

"So you keep telling me," he bent down to brush his lips across hers again, gripping her by the hips. "I'm starting to believe it - what I'm considering doing right now could get me arrested."

Laughter bubbled out, just a tinkle, before Troy had his lips on hers again, cutting off the sound. Mirth disappeared as she sank back into his kiss, her hands delving into his hair and stroking a place on the back of his neck that made him shudder.

Troy's hands caught hers, and she had no doubt he was thinking of since she was likely thinking the same thing. Taylor hadn't let off the subject and while talking about it with her best girlfriend was a touch uncomfortable, the memories of the act - especially with Troy flush against her and ready for a repeat performance - hade her all hot and bothered again.

Strong fingers slid under the edge of her shirt, caressing her high on her thighs, his thumbs dipping down to trace small circles on the sensitive flesh on the inside. Gabriella shuddered, tilting her head to kiss him more fully, her moan of supplication smothered and lost in a gasp as he shifted his grip. The shirt stretched, tightening across his hands. Breaking the kiss, she tilted her head back as Troy's forehead touched hers.

"I couldn't sleep knowing you were so close but out of my reach."

"Me either."

His lips brushed the edge of her mouth, only to disappear as she tilted her head that way. "That kiss in the kitchen," his lips returned, brushing the other side of her mouth, "just about killed me."

"_Tr-oy..._"

"Shh," he admonished. "You'll wake Taylor."

"She sleeps like the dead."

"Well our parents don't."

"They're in the basement."

"They're _parents_; and _your _mom is just down the hall."

"I don't care."

Just the _idea_ they might be caught made her squirm - but not to get away. Sliding her hands down his shirt, she wiggled her fingers under the hem, finding naked flesh beneath. Troy used the fact she was pressed up against the tree to his advantage, keeping his lower body just far enough away she was aware of his desire for her, but couldn't feel it fully.

"I thought we said we wouldn't become one of those couples."

Gabriella's head fell back as his lips grazed the exposed flesh of her throat and shoulder, moaning softly. He hadn't even touched her the way she wanted yet and she was already on fire. "W-what couples?"

"Who only ever make out."

"We don't." Looping her fingers through the belt loops of his jeans - and her thumbs into his waist band - she tugged him forward so he was flush against her. He'd gone commando - sans boxers - and her mouth went dry, a rush of heat tightening dangerously in the pit of her stomach. They didn't _always_ make out, this was simply a novel and... _compelling_ feeling that needed to be sated. And they _did_ talk... just not at that moment.

Tightening her knees on his hips drew a strangled hissing sound from between his teeth. "_Gabriella!"_

She slid her hands up his chest, confident he wouldn't escape the imprisonment he'd surrendered to. His shirt followed her hands, exposing the length of tanned flesh she'd been craving to feel against her own - and the tip of his erection was visible in the shadows over his waist band as it strained against his jeans. Her hands slid back down, but Troy stopped her, pinning her hands against his chest.

"Much as I'd love to ravish you against the tree on your balcony, sweetheart, I didn't come up here prepared."

Gabriella's gaze darted back towards the balcony door - and what she knew to be in her bed side table - but she didn't dare. Taylor, or worse - one of their parents - might wake up at any time. With a stifled sounds of frustration, she leaned back against the tree and strove for a teasing tone; it came out teasing alright, but also husky. "Prepared for what, seeing me sleep in one of your shirts again?"

"Among other things," he groaned softly, attempting to alleviate the tension with a joke of his own, "I just can't help what seeing you in my clothes does to me."

"You like the view?"

"Love it."

"Mmm, me too," she tilted her head to him, flicking the tip of her tongue across the tip of his chin. Being outdoors in nothing but her nightshirt was doing crazy things to her and the contrast of inner heat and outer chill made her shiver. "I want more of it; more of you."

He groaned softly, tucking his forehead to hers to stop her. "_Gabriella..._"

"You were right."

"About?"

"This being madness." Her hand slid back up his chest, making him shiver again as he grabbed her by the wrists and jerked her hands away.

"I've told you before Gabriella - you're playing with fire."

"I'm still playing with you; just you." Her cheek was as frustrating as it was alluring. "Didn't you get far enough into the next section of your book, Wildcat?"

"I couldn't concentrate," pinning her wrists to the tree with one hand, Troy reached down to cup her face. "Why?"

"I started where you left off." Her eyes reflected the moonlight, giving her an almost feral look - which wasn't far from what she was feeling. If he didn't do _something_ to alleviate the tension in her frame, she was going to scream. "I..."

His lips teased the underside of her jaw, cutting off whatever she'd been about to say, and then drifting lower. The collar of his shirt dipped low on her chest, giving him access to the expanse of skin just above the swell of her breast and she squirmed restlessly as his lips traced the collar line.

"I'm aching for you, Troy; please..."

Her body undulated towards his, arching as his lips fastened around her nipple through his shirt and she gasped loudly. Her breath shuddered out, her eyes falling closed as his free hand slid up under the shirt to cup the bare flesh. The cool night breeze caressed her skin, a contrast to the heated palm of his hand and she shifted, as much to get closer to that hand as to get away from the chill.

He stilled a moment later and then eased back, his hand sliding back down her bare skin under the shirt - and pulling it back down to cover her. His breathing was ragged as he tilted his head towards hers. "I can't."

"_Tr-oy_..."

"Not here." He glanced back towards the door leading into her room, expecting Taylor to come out at any moment. "Can you climb?"

"Climb?" Her brain was fogged, not understanding what he was talking about.

It must have shown on her face - but he didn't release her wrists from their pinned position as he brushed the backs of his fingers over her cheek. "Climb - as in the tree."

Surprised laughter bubbled from within her, laced with disbelief. "_Now_?"

His smile flashed. "Now."

"I'm in my night shirt - _only_ my night shirt." Troy wasn't as unaffected by the fact as he appeared as she noted the tell tale hard swallow that came with the reminder. Desire and hunger burned in the pit of her stomach, but the fog that had claimed her brain with their early morning "And I don't have your affinity for trees."

"Then I'll carry you."

"Where would we go? Chad's at our place."

"Trust me."

Gabriella eased her grip on his hips reluctantly and Troy stepped back, biting back a sound of near torture as the pressure between them eased. He freed Gabriella's hands, taking another look towards the balcony doors, amazed Taylor hadn't woken, before checking around. He couldn't resist dipping back to brush his lips across Gabriella's for a heartbeat before turning to where he'd come over the railing.

"Over here."

Gabriella stayed where she was, gripping the railing tightly, a shiver wracking her frame now that she'd lost his body heat. "Troy?"

They kept their voices low, but there was no mistaking the uncertainty in hers. He turned back to her, sweeping her back into his arms. Mindful of the fact she wore no socks or shoes, he helped her settle on the railing again before hopping over. Finding his footing, he gripped the tree with one hand, and extended the other to her.

Her fingers slid into his hand, then further, going to grab his wrist. Troy's fingers closed about her forearm. "Ready?"

Nodding, Gabriella slid forward - and Troy pulled, drawing her to him. Once standing on the tips of his shoes, Troy bent, shifting her, and let her latch onto his back. It wasn't the first time he'd have given her a piggyback ride, but it would be the first time he'd ever done so while climbing down from her room. Gabriella latched her arms around his neck.

"Can you breathe?"

"Fine," he assured her, turning his head to flash a quick smile. "Hold on."

His hand fastened over hers as he eased forward. Gabriella's grip was tight, but not impeding - it was the way her legs wrapped around his waist that were the most distracting. All that bare flesh kept catching his eye - and her heels pressed intimately against the waist band of his jeans - forcing him to concentrate harder than usual to avoid a misstep. It wasn't, Troy reflected as he tested his grip, as easy as it sounded. Gabriella pressed against his back with every move, clinging top him like a monkey as he swung them down to the next branch.

Her hands tightened fractionally as he found his footing. He couldn't go back down the way she'd come up with her on his back, so Troy evaluated his options. Her heel dug in painfully as he checked his balance and he hissed. "Ease up," he admonished her softly, reaching down with one hand to shift her feet into a more comfortable location. "I'm not going to drop you."

"No, but I might drop me."

He stiffened as her breath feathered across his ear and cheek in an unintentional caress. Closing his eyes for a moment to regain his equilibrium, he took a deep breath before looking around once more. Plotting his course, and doing his best to ignore the temptation on his back, Troy reached out to grasp a branch further away - and his sneaker slipped.

The feel of it as it slid, losing its grip, was unmistakable, so he went with it. His finger tips caught the branch he was reaching for but he didn't have the grip strength to hold them both. He didn't have the time to warn Gabriella as he used the momentum to touch his toes to the tree's trunk, letting go to grab a branch further down, the drop nearly jerking her from his back. Stalling that downward momentum just long enough to prevent injury Troy managed to control their fall to avoid having her slip. He landed heavily at the base of the tree going down on one knee. Hunched over, it prevented Gabriella from hitting the ground - and allowed his body to absorb the impact with a grunt.

Taking a moment to catch his breath, and mentally ensure he hadn't broken anything, he turned his head towards her. "Are you okay?"

Gabriella laughed, slapping her hand over her mouth as she struggled to stifle the sound, tucking her head to his shoulder.

"Gabriella?"

Her grip didn't ease and he could feel her shaking. Running his hands down her legs where they held tightly to his waist, he unhooked her ankles and pushed her legs back, letting gravity pull them towards the ground as he stood. Reaching back, he ducked so her feet hit the ground and spun in place, putting an arm around her waist. Tucking the fingers of his other hand under her chin, he brushed her cheek with his thumb. "Gabriella?"

"I'm fine." She lifted her head. "I'm not the one who nearly got us both killed!"

"Nah." Grinning, he brushed his thumb over her cheek. "Injured maybe, but I will _never _let you hit the ground without being here to catch you."

"How can you be so calm?"

"Like you said; I have an affinity for trees - and I claim distraction. It's not the first time I've fallen out of a tree, but it _is _the first time I've carried my nearly naked girlfriend down one."

_**(file eaten from here)**_

The shadows hid Gabriella's blush as her gaze went to the tree above them. Whatever the mood had been on the balcony, the last few moments had effectively smothered it. She shivered in the shelter of his embrace, feeling the chill in the air keenly. She hadn't been thinking beyond spending some more alone time with Troy when she's agreed to climb down and her house keys were tucked safely away inside - on a table by the _locked_ front door.

"That's the first and last time I let you talk me into that, Wildcat."

"We'll see." His tease made her smile - albeit faintly. "What are you thinking about?"

"How am I going to get back in?"

"We'll just have to grab you something from our place."

"I'm _not_ walking several blocks in nothing but your shirt!"

"Then we'll think of something. I can always climb back up and get something from Taylor. Or hit our place on my own." But even as he said it, he knew he couldn't leave her like that. He _might_ hit the end of the block before turning around; she looked far too adorably vulnerable in bare feet and his t-shirt; s_hivering_ in his t-shirt and bare feet. He wrapped his arms more tightly about her. "Cold?"

"I'm not exactly dressed for this."

"Here." Troy scooped her into his arms and turned, depositing her in the hammock. He stripped off his sweater - revealing the expanse of bare toned flesh that made her mouth grow dry - and tucked it around her feet with a wink. "Wait there."

Curling her feet beneath her, Gabriella used the size of both shirts to her advantage and tucked them around herself. She was still cold, but her fear at Troy's slip had receded; she couldn't blame him for something that she'd agreed to do. Not when she knew her own protest about never doing it again was mostly bluster. There had been something thrilling about

The rasp of a zipper being undone had her head whipping around and she half expected to see her boyfriend stripping off his jeans - except he wasn't. Disappointment and chagrin had her biting her lips as Troy shifted, tugging at something by the base of the tree. He moved this way and that and she got a glimpse of his backpack - and the large item he was trying to wrestle from it while trying to make as little noise as possible. He regained his feet and a large, black shadow suddenly exploded from his hands, covering her completely and muffling her surprised gasp.

A reluctantly smile crossed her lips as she realized it was the oversized - King sized - comforter from his bed. Folded in half, it still covered them both with room to spare. Troy's arms came around her on the other side of the blanket as he lifted her from the swaying hammock only to redeposit her, now wrapped snugly between the layers of fabric, back onto it. His grinning face appeared as he folded the excess back from her face. "Better?"

"Some; but it could be even better."

"How?"

Gabriella lifted the blanket in silent invite, the look in her eye at odds with the innocent note in her voice. "I'm missing my Troy shaped bed warmer; my toes are cold."

"We can't have that, can we?"

The hammock dipped as Troy settled on the edge, bending down to unlace his shoes. Gabriella, seeing they were anchored by his feet, reached out to run her finger tips over the indent of his spine and muscled length of his back. A burning need to taste him suddenly - with all that flesh spread out before her and Troy's attention elsewhere - overcame her and she didn't fight it, bending forward to plant a hot, open mouthed kiss high on his near shoulder blade.

Troy stiffened at the touch of her lips, his fingers flexing in the laces of his shoes. If he'd thought he'd misread the look in Gabriella's eye when she'd invited him to join her, there was no doubting it now. He pushed out of the hammock, leaving it swinging gently behind him as he escaped her grasp and went to his bag again.

Foiled, Gabriella didn't let that deter her. Troy wasn't going anywhere; the fact he'd brought his comforter told her he'd come with the intention of being prepared to spend the night even if he hadn't intended to initially. The forethought in the gesture told her much of his state of mind - and it echoed her own. Rolling back in the hammock, she stared at the limbs of the trees above her, watching as the branches swayed this way and that to the rhythm of her swing. She could hear Troy moving around, his sneaker soles squeaking slightly on the grass as he moved back towards her.

"Troy?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you plan this?"

The hammock dipped as he came back to sit on the edge again, tugging his shoes off and placing them next to his backpack. "Not this," he made a sweeping motion to encompass the hammock as he found the edge of the blanket and lifted it, easing beneath and careful not to tip them over. "I figured we might get cold on the porch swing, though."

"The porch swing?" Arching her eyebrows, Gabriella shook her head with a faint smile as she rolled. "So what are we doing in this precarious position?"

"You're half naked," the look he gaze her was speaking and there was no doubting the unchanged state of his arousal as she settled against him, encircled by one arm. "I'm _not_ taking the chance of someone else seeing something they shouldn't."

Her knee fell between his, pressing against his crotch intimately as she practically straddled his thigh. The hammock was anything but spacious and the angle - with Troy being the heaviest object within - meant she was drawn towards him if she wanted to be or not. Not, she conceded, that she was fighting to get away. Propping herself up on one elbow, she watched his face with a slight smile. "So... what did you and Chad talk about?"

"Probably the same things you and Taylor did," he admitted ruefully, his arm snaking about her waist. "Tell me I'm not the only one to get the Third Degree."

"You weren't. Though I think you got yours before I did. Your parents and my mom were up until almost one talking."

"And you guys just hung around?"

"Your parents had a bunch of questions about our living arrangements," Gabriella shifted her weight a little, her look teasing. "Like where _you_ were going to be sleeping since your things are all piled in my room and not the guest room - and that was before we knew they were coming."

Troy winced. "What'd you tell them?"

"The truth."

"Gabriella!"

"What?" Her grin was at odds with her tone. "As if your parents don't know I already sleep at your place most of the time. Where did they think I slept? I just didn't tell them the whole truth."

He stared at her for a long moment before beginning to chuckle, tilting his head back to look at the swaying branches above them. "I bet my folks just _loved_ that."

"Your dad didn't sound too thrilled, but your mom seemed to understand. From the look she was giving him, I think we weren't the only ones to get a talking to tonight."

They shared a grin and Troy hugged her close, drawing her down across his chest so her head came to lie on his shoulders. "Hopefully that means I can avoid the lecture."

"Lecture?"

"The 'your mother and I are too young to be grandparents,' lecture," he brushed the tip of his nose against hers.

Gabriella laughed softly, running the palm her hand up and across the musculature of his bare chest, tracing the natural indentations. "Wasn't it your father who told my mom that children always do the opposite of what their parents tell them not to simply to push the limits?"

"He did, didn't he?"

Her grin turned impish. "I think your dad wants to be a grandparent - then he can spoil your kid rotten and do three generation basketball games."

"Our kid - but _not_," Troy told her firmly, "until we're both out of college. I'm sorry about yesterday morning."

"I'm as much as fault as you, Wildcat - and the doctor gave me something for it, so we should be okay." The blush that accompanied that revelation was slight and Gabriella was more focused on ensuring Troy didn't beat himself up about something they'd both done. "Even she said today wasn't exactly high-risk; we'll be okay."

"You sound so sure about that."

"It's a little out of our hands now, isn't it?" Gabriella laughed softly, brushing his bangs from his eyes with her finger tip, the pads brushing his face in a gentle caress. Her brown eyes shone with amusement and confidence, visible even in the shadows of the backyard.

"Beauty, brains and logic..." Troy eased forward, brushing his lips across hers. "How am I ever going to keep up with you?"

"I'm sure you'll think of _something_."


	35. Parental Units

_**Author's Note:**__ This update has been a long time in coming and I do apologize for keeping you guys waiting for so long. Contrary to popular belief, this story is -not- abandoned like so many of you seem to think._

_I was unable to retrieve anything from the damaged document – seeing as how I write in rich text format, it's not that surprising. The muse hasn't yet recovered from the loss of the original documentation, so a lot of this next chapter was based on what I could remember writing._

_That said, updates will not be as frequent as they were in the beginning since I'm only now getting back into the grove for this story. Have patience; it _will_ be updated, they just might not be as frequent as you'd like._

_----------_

_Parental Units - December 20__th_

_"Gabriella!"_

The wind teased her bangs against her forehead as she snuggled down into the warmth beneath and surrounding her, the hold of the blanket a warm cocoon into which she bent her head. The soft breeze wafting across her cheeks was cool and she made a soft whimpering sound in the back of her throat. Without opening her eyes, she snuggled closer to the familiar warm expanse of muscle under her cheek. "Troy... close the window."

_"Gabriella!"_

Shifting in her state of semi-slumber, her brain vaguely recognized the fact that it wasn't Troy calling her name. It couldn't be with her head tucked under his chin and his arms loosely around her waist. Whomever it was - and it wasn't her mother - could wait until she was good and ready to-

_"Gabriella!! Wake up!"_

Something in the hissed demand drew her from the haze that had her captive, the urgency in that tone striking a chord and bringing her eyes open. The hues of the morning sky were the first thing she noted in abstract distraction until the waving arms of one pajama clad Taylor caught her attention - and the frantic look on her face registered. Stiffening, she would have sat up straight, but Troy's arms and the folds of the blankets prevented it.

"Gabriella!"

"Taylor!" Glancing at the still sleeping Troy, Gabriella looked back to her friend. "What are you-"

"That's my question." Taylor cut her off with a hiss. "Are you _crazy_?"

Considering her current position, Gabriella wasn't certain she could answer in the negative. Instead she simply smiled and waved her friend away with a flick of her wrist as she curled back up to Troy. "No, I'm dreaming and you're spoiling it. Shoo!"

Her best friend's indignant huff, audible even at distance, was well worth the feigned nonchalance and she smothered a giggle against the blanket and Troy's chest. Taylor didn't seem to notice but there was no mistaking the flounce - or the ominous portent in her words. "Fine, but _don't _come crying to me when your _mom_ and Troy's _parents_ find the two of you so cozy and you in nothing but your pajamas!"

The click of her balcony door closing let up the pressure and a giggle escaped before she could stop it.

"Nothing but your pajamas," Troy's lips brushed her ear and she gasped as the tip of his tongue touched the shell. "Wouldn't she be shocked to know you had a lot less than _just_ your pajamas on last night."

"And what, that _you _didn't?"

He pulled away, surprised by her saucy reply - and then noticed how her cheeks were tinted slightly pink from it. An impish grin crossed his lips. "More of you, maybe. I wouldn't fit in your... er..."

Arching her eyebrows, Gabriella sat back, the covers dropping around her waist as she did so. His shirt was plainly visible; including the way the neckline dropped almost indecently and hung off one shoulder. "You wouldn't fit in my what?"

"Shorts?"

Gabriella lifted the hem of the shirt, revealing the short shorts he'd brought her as a part of his sleepover kit. "I wasn't wearing shorts last night - and neither were you."

Troy leaned in to kiss her and there was no mistaking the physical effect her words had on him. "_What _am I going to do with you?"

"Anything you want?"

"Mmm, I like the sound of that."

"Troy!" she grabbed his hands as they began to wander, lacing her fingers through his to stop him, but taking the sting out of the rejection too. "Our parents could come out here any minute."

"Mine aren't expecting me and your mother probably thinks you're still upstairs with Taylor."

"Which is where I should be before she finds you - we - camped out in the hammock."

"Good morning Troy. Gabi. Sleep well?"

Gabriella jerked, only her hands caught in Troy's preventing a violent reversal of her position that would have, most assuredly, sent them tumbling to the ground in an undignified heap. "Mom!"

Ms. Montez lifted her coffee mug to her daughter. "Nightmares?"

The twinkle in her mother's eyes was as mortifying as it was telling. With as much dignity as she could find while straddling her boyfriend's lap, her hands entangled with his on his naked chest and caught by her mother, Gabriella tilted her chin up. "I couldn't sleep."

"Umm hmm." Ms. Montez took a sip of her coffee, obviously not believing a word her daughter was saying. "It didn't look that way a few minutes ago."

Busted.

Troy squeezed Gabriella's hands before untangling his from her and sat up. The hammock twisted for a moment, threatening to send them over and they froze. Gabriella ignored the look her mother was giving them and twisted off Troy's lap, using him as leverage. Troy caught her before her movements could upend the hammock. "One second," he told her softly. Shifting the blankets, he untangled them carefully as he tried to ignore the fact her mother was watching them.

The hot color in her cheeks prevented her from looking at her mother as Gabriella stayed where she was; instead she kept her gaze on Troy. Far more quickly than she thought possible, Troy had them untangled and she was able to slip out, Troy's feet bracing them on the ground so they didn't over turn.

Crawling out of the hammock, Gabriella looked around for something to step on so she wouldn't get her feet dirty and nearly jumped when her sandals - that had been by the backdoor yesterday, landed just within reach.

"Looking for something?"

Mortified - and unable to imagine what her mother must be thinking - Gabriella mumbled a thank you and slipped her feet into her sandals.

_"Hoops, you back here man?"_

Gabriella's gaze flew to Troy's and they simultaneously turned towards the gate as it opened to reveal Chad, breakfast boxes over one shoulder, as he entered without more of a warning - and stopped. Gabriella was still sitting on Troy's lap - now facing forward - with her mother having turned to regard Chad's entrance with raised eyebrows.

Chad, to his credit, didn't comment on Troy and Gabriella's current position; he addressed Gabriella's mother instead. "Good morning, Ms. Montez."

"Good morning Chad. What is it you have there?"

"Breakfast; Troy and I figured that since you were housing most of us, we should pitch in for something."

"Go on in, Chad." she waved him towards the door. "The Boltons are in the kitchen - but Taylor hasn't come down yet."

"More for me then. Where do you want these?"

"Anywhere on the counter is fine."

"Some of these are greasy; could you show me where you'd like those ones - or better where you _don't_ want them?"

An amused look towards where Gabriella and Troy still hadn't moved showed that Ms. Montez wasn't buying the ruse for a moment, but she nodded. "This way."

_You owe me_, Chad mouthed at Troy and Gabriella as he disappeared inside with Gabriella's mother.

Closing her eyes, Gabriella covered her face with her hands as Troy's arms slid back around her waist and squeezed in silent empathy; _his _parents were inside waiting to read him the riot act probably... and his father wasn't known to be as restrained as Ms. Montez. Dropping her hands to cover his, Gabriella found a smile for him before climbing out of the hammock.

"It could be worse," Troy offered as he followed her, stretching the kinks sleeping in the hammock had caused in his back.

"How?"

"She could have been enraged and made a scene."

With a roll of her eyes, Gabriella shot him a faint smile, acknowledging his wisdom. "Or your parents could have come out with her."

He winced, crouching next to his backpack to rummage through it. "That too. Here; put this on."

Gabriella caught his jacket, arching her eyebrows at him. "We didn't just come in from a walk, Troy."

"No, but I can probably get you back to your room before my parents know you're down here with me." He caught his jacket as she threw it back his way. "Is that a no?"

"I appreciate the offer, Wildcat, but you know as well as I do that Chad's unlikely to be able to keep his mouth closed." She cast a look towards the windows where she could see Chad and her mother setting out the boxes Chad had brought and laughing at something he'd said. "Might as well get this over with."

"Why don't you go in first? I'll clean up out here."

Taking a deep breath, Gabriella conceded that it was probably wiser if they didn't go in together; adults or not, Troy's parents had some of the strangest ideas when it came to their son and his girlfriend. Tugging at the hem of the long shirt, Gabriella adjusted the shorts Troy had thoughtfully brought with him and headed for the kitchen. Laughter could be heard coming from inside, Jack Bolton's words inaudible, but there was no mistaking the mirth - and then the shared mirth - of whatever he was saying.

Perhaps Troy's trepidation was for nothing - but Gabriella wasn't confident of that fact. It didn't help that the moment she stepped into the kitchen, everyone went silent and guilty color flooded her cheeks. "Good morning."

"Good morning Gabriella," replied Mrs. Bolton with a warning glance at her husband. "Isn't Troy joining us for breakfast?"

Glancing back towards the yard, Gabriella managed a slightly sick smile. "He'll be along in a minute. If you'll excuse me?"

Without waiting for anyone's permission, she escaped upstairs, heading for her bedroom. Darting inside, she closed the door behind her, putting her back to it as she struggled with the embarrassment of the awkward encounter. If she hadn't enjoyed herself so much that morning, she'd have been tempted to kill Troy for placing her in that position.

"Firing squad, huh?"

Gabriella jumped at the comment, clutching her chest as her gaze flew to the speaker. "Taylor!" She'd forgotten her friend was still upstairs.

"You forgot all about me, I see," there was amusement in the other woman's eyes as she was buttoning up her shirt. "Must have been some morning."

Gabriella rubbed her hands over her face before peeking at her friend. "What makes you say that?"

"The evidence."

"What?"

Taylor arched her eyebrows, tapping the joint where her neck met her shoulder before reaching for the kerchief she intended to wear.

Eyes widening in horror, Gabriella turned to her vanity only to stare in mute horror. There, at the base of her neck right where Taylor had indicated, was a rather obvious hickey. Not large - no larger than a quarter - but the shirt she wore did nothing to hide it with the neck gaping to one side and exposing the side of her neck and shoulder. Everyone in the kitchen would have been able to see it. In reaction, her hands grasped the collar and tugged it closed.

"It's a little late for that, don't you think?"

"You're _not_ helping, Tay."

"I'm not the one who decided early morning exercise in the hammock was a good idea."

_"Taylor!"_

The impish grin as Taylor's face was accompanied by a devilish sparkle in her eyes. "Was it worth it?"

Dragging her gaze away from the mirror, Gabriella met Taylor's gaze. In silence, she turned, collecting the clothes she'd laid out for the day and her towel, much to Taylor's annoyance.

"Gabriella?"

Her lips kicked into a slightly twisted half smile as she paused by the door on her way to the shower. "If it hadn't been, we never would have gotten caught."

----------

"Dude, you're in _so_ much trouble," Chad handed Troy a plate with his breakfast as the Bear settled back into the hammock - returned to its previous state - his bag against the nearby tree. "You should have _seen_ your dad's face when Gabriella walked in."

Troy winced. "That bad, huh?"

"That bad," taking a bite of his own breakfast, Chad planted his shoulder against the tree. "You're just lucky they're leaving for Maui soon or you'd never hear the end of it."

"I won't anyway," returned Troy dryly. "You'll still be around."

"Hey, you made your bed," quipped the Redhawk with a grin. "I should have known you couldn't stay away from her for a night."

"And what, followed me? No offence, Chad, but you weren't invited."

"No kidding." Chad took another bite of his breakfast sandwich. "If you'd have rather I spend the night here, Troy, why didn't you guys just insist? I could have crashed on their living room floor."

"I've seen you all of once since I moved away, man; Gabriella was right when she said a night apart wouldn't kill us."

"And yet, here you are." Finish off his sandwich, Chad rubbed his finger on his jeans. "Come on, man; with everything as new as it is between you two, it's no wonder you couldn't stay away."

Troy glanced at the house and shot his friend a dark look. "Would you in my place?"

"Probably not. But then, I'm _not_ in your place." The two shared a look and then a laugh as Troy flopped back in the hammock to stare at the sky between the branches. Chad chuckled, shaking his head as he watched his friend. "Are you finished with that?"

Without a look at his half eaten sandwich, Troy extended it his friend's way. He wasn't really hungry yet - and wouldn't be, he suspected, until he faced his parents. But it had been worth it. A lopsided smile tilted his lips as his gaze turned to the balcony above - and debated climbing it.

"I wouldn't if I were you, Hoops; your dad would kill you."

"Ha!" Pushing up and out of the hammock, he stretched with a glance at his friend. "My dad I can handle; it's getting on Ms. Montez's bad side that scares me."

"Have you ever seen her angry?"

"No - and I don't want to. And since when are you a morning person, anyway? I thought you'd sleep until noon."

"I probably would have - if you hadn't forgotten to shut off your alarm. Six in the morning? Dude, it's supposed to be the _holidays_; haven't you ever heard of sleeping in?"

"What ever happened to turning off the alarm and going back to sleep ?"

"When the alarm clock is in the next room and you have to _move_ to get to it? I'm practically programmed to wake up when that happens - you know that."

"I'd say I was sorry - but I'm not." Troy slapped his buddy on the shoulder and looked towards the house. "Come on; I'd better go find my folks."

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

It was all the warning Troy got before he crossed the threshold into the Montez kitchen - and his father looked his way with a dark expression on his face. Fortunately, his mother and Ms. Montez seemed to have exerted their influence and Jack Bolton said nothing. He simply snapped the paper before him with a twist of his wrists and turned back to it; a move that Troy knew well and understood.

His father was _not_ impressed

"Good morning, Troy."

"'Morning mom," he crossed the room to drop a kiss on her cheek. "Sleep well?"

"Like a baby. Was the hammock comfortable?"

And he'd thought he was going to get off easy. Managing not to wince, Troy straightened and turned towards the counter where the food was laid out; his mother was notoriously good at reading his expressions. Taking his time to look over the selection Chad had brought, Troy grabbed a fresh plate; he was suddenly famished. "It doesn't look like it, but yeah. More than the porch swing would have been anyway."

To his surprise, his mother laughed. "Undoubtedly. So what are your plans for the day?"

"Nothing yet," he shot a questioningly look Chad's way and his friend shrugged; he didn't know where this was going either. "Why, did you have something in mind?"

"Out flight isn't until midnight; we were hoping to watch your practice this afternoon, Troy."

_Practice? What... _Troy almost voiced the question as his hand stilled on another of the sandwiches still in the box, trying to get his brain to focus - and everything suddenly clicked. _Oh _yeah _- they had Nevada tonight._ "Coach usually isn't big on the spectators, but I can probably talk him into something. That's hours away though."

"Which gives us time to relax."

"And us time to see Troy and Gabriella's place," announced Taylor as she swept into the room with her usual smile.

Jack Bolton flipped one of the paper's pages with unusual vigor, saying nothing. Oh yeah; his dad was _ticked_.

"I guess." Troy looked past Taylor and then back to Gabriella's best friend questioningly - and didn't have to say a word.

"She'll be down in a minute," supplied Taylor as she breezed by, reaching for a plate. "She figured she'd steal the shower before anyone else did."

Looking back to Taylor sharply, he didn't miss the impish tilt of her lips; she dropped that little piece of information deliberately - knowing of the change in their relationship - and _knowing_ what it would do to him. Not in any particular mood to be her verbal punching bag, he took himself away from the counter where the food was and found another spot across the room, hopping up to sit on the smooth surface. It was a superior choice to sitting at the table where his father would be given the opportunity to lecture him.

Chad, thankfully, saved his butt by engaging Jack in a discussion about the game that evening - a game his parents would be around to attend before their flight... and one they didn't yet know he would be starting in. At least _some_ things were still a surprise; though he couldn't imagine why his father was so angry with him - as far as anyone was concerned, he'd simply kidnapped her to sleep in the hammock.

Everything else that had occurred was between the two of them.

Staying out of the conversation, Troy watched as his mother drew his father out of his annoyance enough to converse with Ms. Montez and Taylor, Chad - the traitor - joining them at the table and leaving Troy off by himself. It suited him just fine - even more so when Gabriella slipped back into the room unnoticed, and came straight to him. She stepped into the v between his knees - and it was only then that he noticed the flush on her cheeks.

"Something wrong?"

"Wrong?" Keeping her voice down as he had, she darted a look towards where their parents were in a lively discussion about what they could do as a group in the brief time they had together. "You _marked_ me Troy."

Confused, he searched her face. "Marked you?" One eye on her mother's guests, Gabriella twisted and tilted her head to the side as she pulled her neckline away to expose the hickey - and Troy groaned. He lifted his hand and then thought better of it before he brushed his fingers over the softness of her skin. "Oh man... I'm sorry."

"You will be when your dad-"

"Gabster!" Both of them looked up at Chad's enthused call, his smile pure mischief. "You're with me on this one, right?"

"Uh... what one?"

"Just agree with me."

"Don't do it." Gabriella glanced Troy's way, his softly issued caution as intent as his gaze. Arching an eyebrow at him in question, Troy elaborated. "I learned a long time ago that agreeing with Chad when you don't know what it is you're agreeing to is a good way to get yourself into trouble."

"You're pretty good at that on your own Hoops."

The remark fell like a bomb into the sudden silence despite the cheekiness in Chad's tone. Taylor eased away from the table, with both mothers sharing a look as Jack Bolton snapped his newspaper shut. His gaze went to his son. "Outside Troy; now."

There was no mistaking the order and Troy automatically slipped from the counter, easing Gabriella away from him as he did. While he'd often gone against his dad in the last couple of years, there were some tones that he knew better than to argue with - and that was one of them.

Sharing looks, the women withdrew, taking Chad with them, as Jack motioned to the yard beyond. Troy exited into the yard, deliberately keeping his gaze from the hammock, and paced to the far side of the patio without looking at his dad. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he awaited the tirade.

To his amazement, it wasn't forthcoming.

"Do you know what you're doing, Troy?"

Surprised, he turned to look at his father, the quiet question completely at odds with the snapped order in the kitchen. "What?"

"Do you know what you're doing?"

"In what way?"

Jack deliberately looked towards the hammock and then arched his eyebrows.

Troy winced. "Yeah; we know what we're doing - and we're being careful about it."

"Just not discreet." Running a hand over his head, Jack sighed. "Look, son, your mother and I traveled this road a long time ago. Careful isn't always enough."

"Is this the 'we don't want to be grandparents before we're forty' speech I've been dreading?"

"If it was, you wouldn't be asking." His father had a point. Jack continued, watching his son with eyes that Troy was sure saw far too much. "All of us can see how much you care about Gabriella, Troy - and how much she cares about you. You're both young and you have your whole lives ahead of you; your mother regretted never finishing college because you came along earlier than we'd intended."

Troy blinked. Hadn't his dad ever heard of the phrase 'too much information'? "Thanks for that dad."

"I'm _not_ saying you were a mistake, Troy."

"Just implying it."

"Never." Jack told him sternly. "I'm trying to make you see what _could_ happen no matter how careful the two of you are. Are you ready to be a father? I know I wasn't."

"This isn't twenty years ago."

"Nor is it the dark ages," he agreed evenly. "But you're still our son and your mother and I want you to be sure-"

"Sure?" Troy cut his father off incredulously. "If I wasn't, do you really think I'd be in California, at UC Berkeley? If I wasn't sure, dad, I'd be going to U of A like you and I dreamed of when I was a kid. I love Gabriella; how can you doubt that?"

"I don't."

"Then why can't you trust me? Us?"

"I do trust you. You and Gabriella are adults; you've both been nothing but responsible until now - barring the odd incident - and you're right." Jack regarded his son for a long moment and then exhaled. "But _nothing_ is foolproof. No matter how careful you are, or how careful you think you're being, something can always go wrong. You're both focused on your schooling and on each other right now-" holding up his hands to avoid having Troy cut him off again, Jack smiled faintly. "-that's not a bad thing, but _if_ something did happen neither of you is prepared for it."

"We'd deal."

"Did I say you wouldn't?" Shaking his head, Jack's smile never wavered. "A baby changes everything, son."

Glancing back towards the house, Troy shook his head with a near identical smile to the one his father wore - except his was wreathed in certainty. "Not everything."

"No," knowing full well what his son was thinking, Jack's agreement was soft. "Just everything _else_." His message delivered, he headed back indoors, passing Gabriella - who'd stepped out on the patio moments before.

Troy held out his hand - and Gabriella approached, taking it, as if she understood he needed the contact. Her fingers slid into his, tightening in silent support before she spoke. "Bad?"

"Not as bad as it could have been."

"Was it the 'grandparent' speech?"

With a short laugh, Troy shook his head and drew her into his arms. "Not quite. More like the 'are you ready to be parents if something happens' speech."

"Ah." Laying her head against his chest, Gabriella hugged him as Troy placed a kiss on her temple. "And?"

"And nothing." He eased away with an apologetic smile. "We'll be careful; _more_ careful than my folks ever were. The _last_ thing I want is for you to regret not finishing college."

"What?"

"Just something my dad said." He squeezed her fingers - he hadn't relinquished her hand when she'd hugged him - and tugged her back towards the house. "Come on; if we're going to do anything except watch me play basket ball today, we'd better get started."

Bemused by his odd mood, Gabriella allowed herself to be pulled along and silently promised herself she'd ask him more about it later. Maybe then he'd have come to terms with whatever his father had said.


	36. Preoccupied

_Author's Note:_ This has been ready for a couple of weeks – but I got hit with a flu bug that knocked me on my ass for a while. Sorry to keep you guys waiting… I'm slowly moving beyond the writer's block that's paralyzed this fic… and I can't thank you guys enough for your unwavering support; it's helped in ways you'll never know.

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_Preoccupied - December 20th_

The day went as predicted, with Troy, Gabriella and Ms. Montez playing tour guides. They hit the beach, the women doing some window shopping along the sea side boardwalks as the guys hung back and talked about the game that night.

Troy deliberately withheld the information that Coach Montgomery would be starting him that night in the hopes of sending his dad away with a pleasant surprise. Still, the morning's conversation stuck with him; his dad's admission - no matter how well intended - had stung. His mother had _never_ made him feel unwanted or unloved or like a regret... why bring up the fact now? He knew his parents had tried for other children, but complications resulting from _his_ birth had doomed him to being an only child.

Not that he'd minded; but had his mother? Had his parent's choices - and his early arrival - forced her to accept a fate she wouldn't have chosen for herself? Were him and Gabriella _really_ walking the path his parent's had trod eighteen years ago, doomed to repeat their mistakes? _Mistakes_. Was _he _just a mistake, a quirk of fate?

"Hey."

Snapped from his dreary thoughts by Gabriella's soft touch and concerned tone, his head came up. He'd fallen behind everyone else as Ms. Montez was showing his parents and their friends the view of one of the harbor's many piers. Gabriella had dropped back to join him - and was now looking at him with a worried expression that turned her eyes darker than normal.

"Hey."

"What's wrong?"

_My parents never intended to have me when they did; we're more impossible than you know; I was a mistake my mother might regret -_ all of those answers flashed through his mind, but not one reached his lips. He found a weak smile for her. "Sorry, my dad's little talk this morning touched a nerve."

"So I see." Gabriella glanced towards the group and then took his hand - her fingers sliding between his as naturally and easily as breathing - before dragging him down the series of steps to the strip of sand below. It was nearly deserted and cool air wafted in from the ocean. She lifted a hand to the others as they drew their attention and then pulled him under the wharf. The laughter of their friends could be heard as Chad made some comment that was borne away by the wind.

Ignoring them, Gabriella turned to face him, her expression serious. "What is it? What'd your dad say?"

Exhaling softly, Troy shook his head.

"Troy..."

"I know, I know - but I haven't worked it out in my head yet."

"So talk to me and we'll work it out together." With gentle fingers, she reached up to caress his cheek as she searched his gaze. "Keeping it inside will only make it worse."

"I don't deserve you, you know." The churning in his gut that had begun with his dad's words seemed to want to eat him up from inside. "And, based on what my dad said, we're more impossible than I'd ever thought."

"What do you mean?"

He sighed. "I was... unplanned." By her expression Troy knew she didn't quite follow so he elaborated. "They didn't mean to have me when they, Gabriella."

"So? It means your parents are human-"

"No, it means I was a mistake," pulling away from her touch, he turned to face the water line. "It's only by some fluke of chance I exist."

"Troy..."

_Your mother regretted never finishing college because you came along earlier than we'd intended._ His father's earlier words reverberated around in his head. Clenching his fists, Troy struggled with the knowledge that his dad had been trying to help, not hurt, but he couldn't help it. His dad's choice of words had stung. "I don't want you to regret _not_ doing something because of me."

Reaching out, she touched his hand and drew his gaze back her way. "Have I ever?"

"I don't know - you tell me."

"I was going to regret not getting my Prom or getting to do the show - and missing my graduation ceremony." She searched his gaze as she spoke, looking for something he didn't understand. "I was going to regret not having the chance to tell you that I love you in person - or to hear you say it back to me. You made sure none of those happened, Troy; you let me move forward with no regrets."

"I refused to let you go, you mean."

"Exactly." Smiling, she reached her free hand up to cup his cheek. "Letting you go... making that phone call to say I wasn't coming back for Prom was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I never dreamed you would come after me... or let myself think of a future here with you."

"Never?"

"Not while I was awake, anyway."

He laughed softly, bending his head to touch his forehead to hers. "I couldn't think of anything else. The idea of losing you was too painful; the very _thought_ of having to go on without you was crippling - and then you did leave. If you hadn't, I don't know what decision I would have made about college."

"My point is this; I _don't_ regret where we've been or what we've been through."

"But you could." Closing his eyes, Troy exhaled softly and brushed the tip of his nose against hers. "I don't want what to happen."

"It won't."

"It could," he insisted, looking back at her seriously as he pulled away fractionally. "It we followed in my parent's footsteps..."

"We're not your parents," Gabriella arched her eyebrows, amusement lurking in the depths of her gaze. "For one thing I look nothing like your mother."

"You know what I mean."

"I do, Troy," her smile faded a little and the hand on his cheek slipped down to grasp his, squeezing as the fingers twined together. "But I also know that if something did happen - if we created a baby - we'd be alright."

"I don't want just alright," he confessed. "I don't want you to sacrifice your dream because of us; it wouldn't be fair."

"Life's rarely fair - but somehow, I don't think your mother would agree with you."

"No? Then why did dad tell me she regretted dropping out?"

"Why don't you ask her instead of taking your dad's word for it? People can regret _not_ doing certain things but still be thankful for what they have."

"I don't think I could stand it if she agreed with him."

And there, Gabriella realized, was the core of what was bothering him. Saying nothing, she enveloped him in a hug and made a note to have his mother sit him down for a talk. Whatever she said wouldn't have nearly the same effect as Mrs. Bolton's assurances and she knew it. They stayed that way for a while, their parents and friends somewhere overhead and out of view. Troy didn't exactly relax in her embrace, but she could feel that he wasn't as tense as he'd been initially and it was only because of her presence.

A private smile touched her lips as she closed her eyes, her head on his chest as his cheek touched the top of her head. There was something empowering about being the one who could bring him peace when his thoughts were in turmoil. His embrace tightened and he turned his head to press a soft kiss into her hair.

_"Yo, Hoops! Where'd you guys get to, man?"_

Gabriella laughed softly as Troy groaned. "You'll miss him when he's gone."

"That doesn't stop me from wishing he'd take a hint," raising his voice, Troy turned his head to answer his friend. "Over here, man - under the wharf!"

Chad and Taylor appeared seconds later, ducking under the initial overhang before straightening. "There you are." Neither commented on the fact that Gabriella and Troy were still wrapped in one another's arms. "Your dad wants to know if there's a good place around here for dinner."

"Depends on how much he wants to spend."

Gabriella choked on a laugh at Troy's dry response, well remembering the look on Troy's face the night they'd dined at Gary Danko's. Neither Taylor nor Chad knew of the fact she'd paid for their bill that night and she suspected Troy intended to keep it that way.

Chad didn't seem to notice the sound and shrugged. "They're flying out in less than twenty four hours; I'm sure they can splurge a little while they're here."

With a gentle squeeze, Troy reluctantly eased his hold on Gabriella but didn't pull away. "Nothing fancy, man; I've got practice in a couple hours."

"Why don't we head to UC Berkeley?" Taylor suggested with a twinkle in her eye. "They've got to have something on Campus, or around it, that won't be too heavy - right?"

"I wouldn't count on that," Troy told her with a faint smile. "But that's as good a place as any since we've got to be there anyway."

Taylor grabbed Chad by the elbow and hauled him, protesting, away to leave Gabriella and Troy in peace. While Chad had been oblivious to the tension in the atmosphere, Taylor hadn't. It was only one of the reasons that Chad and Taylor had been such a good couple in high school - one was observant where one was not.

"We should rejoin them."

"In a minute," there was a familiar teasing sparkle in his eyes as he tilted her head back to his. "For the next two days we're going to be interrupted at the most awkward of moments; I intend to get at least one without it."

Laughing softly, Gabriella shifted her grip, running her hands up his chest and linking them at the back of his neck as she tilted her head towards his in complete acceptance. "And what's stopping him from coming back?"

"Taylor."

The swiftness and surety of his answer made her laugh again - which was immediately cut off as his lips settled over hers.

---------

The afternoon passed quickly; lunch and then practice in a blur with Troy's attention obviously diverted. Gabriella's talk had helped, but his father's words still weighed heavily on his mind. The very _idea_ that he'd been something other than wanted by his parents had thrown him for a loop and Chad had stepped in to help him at practice the way they'd always done. With the Bears short on players due to the Christmas Holidays, Coach Montgomery hadn't objected to the Red Hawk stepping in to scrimmage.

Chad and Troy fell into old rhythms easily enough, but mostly because Chad remembered well Troy's distractions through High School and how to work around them. Coach Bolton had been introduced to Coach Montgomery, leaving the women alone in the stands. Gabriella took the opportunity to sit with Troy's mom and, when Taylor and her own mother were absorbed watching the scrimmage and calling out encouragements, pulled Mrs. Bolton aside.

Down on the court, Troy benched himself - his game was abysmal, his focus shot... it was almost as bad as those times when Gabriella hadn't been speaking with him in the last couple of years. True, he could still sink a basket at the moment, but they were fifty-fifty and nothing that was nearly as spectacular as what his team had come to expect from him. Basic plays were escaping him and he knew he had to pull himself together.

The familiar grasp of his girlfriend as she wrapped her arms about his shoulders from behind made him smile, turning his head to hers.

"Hey Wildcat, tough practice?"

"I'm preoccupied," he admitted, covering her hands with his where they were loosely grasped at his collar bone. "I just can't focus."

"It's just practice."

"My dad always told me to practice how you play," Troy nodded to where his dad and Coach Montgomery were running a drill with the forwards. "If this is how I'm going to play, I should bow out now to spare the team the embarrassment."

"Or you could just talk to your mom." As usual, Gabriella's reasoning was timely and logical. "I mean, it can't make you play any worse, right?"

"Thanks," he told her dryly. "I find out my mother might not have even wanted me and all you can do is poke fun."

"Troy, you wouldn't _be_ here if she hadn't wanted you. Even twenty years ago there were ways to end unwanted pregnancies at worse - or surrender a child for adoption at best." Her grip on him eased. "Think about it; you wouldn't _be_ their child if they hadn't wanted you."

"Brains and beauty," squeezing her hands with his, Troy cast a glance towards his mother as she released him. "Could you... do you think..."

"I could ask her to talk to you?"

He nodded, a little sheepishly. "I don't know what to say and I might blow it."

"Do you honestly think you could feel any worse than you do right now?"

"Probably not." Troy's concession was rueful. "Thank, Gabriella."

"Anytime, Wildcat." Brushing a soft kiss across his cheek, Gabriella returned to her previous seat and pulled Mrs. Bolton aside.

Troy saw his mother stiffen, look his way and then her eye narrow as she looked towards her husband. The firming of her lips warned Troy that his dad would be sleeping on the couch for several nights to come - once his mother had words with him. His mother said something to Gabriella he couldn't see and then hugged her before meeting his gaze. She nodded towards his left - her right - towards the hallway leading towards the away team's locker room and Troy nodded back.

Without so much as a nod in the team's direction, Troy went to join his mother, ducking down out of sight - and was promptly spun towards her to find her planting her hands on her hips. "How can you even think, for one minute, that your dad and I didn't want you?"

"I-"

"Did we _ever_ give you a reason to think we didn't want you, Troy? Even once?"

"Well, no, but dad said-"

"I don't care what your father said. You're an adult now. You've already learned that we all have difficult choices to make and that they're not always choices we would have made when we were younger. Yes, you were unplanned - but that doesn't mean you were _ever _unwanted, honey. You just showed up sooner than expected - that' all."

"Dad said you gave up your college dream because of me."

His mother's lips thinned. "And your father will be hearing about that from me later." Exhaling, she let go of her anger and found a smile for him. "I had to choose between two dreams Troy; and you were an impossible dream I never thought could come true."

Troy blinked. "Huh?"

"Didn't you ever wonder why you don't have any brothers or sisters?"

"Er..." he glanced back towards the court, but couldn't see his team from where they were standing and shrugged as he met his mother's gaze once more. "No?"

"Liar." She ruffled his hair. "I have a condition that makes it extremely difficult to conceive a child Troy. So difficult in fact, that the doctors told _my_ parents that they'd never be Grandparents no matter what."

"Never?"

Nodding, his mother smiled faintly. "You were a miracle I hadn't dared hope for; I could always go back to college - I still could - but then I was given a chance to have you... you were never unwanted - just unplanned."

"You really can't have more kids?"

"Really. And don't think your father and I haven't tried!" Troy blushed to the roots of his hair, looking away, and his mother had a good laugh at his expense as she pulled him into a hug. "I love you, Troy. We both do - and we're lucky to have you."

"Don't you mean I'm lucky to be here?" He hugged her tightly, placing a kiss on her cheek. "Thanks mom."

They separated and she held him at arm's length, her expression suddenly stern. "But don't think that my story means you and Gabriella don't have to be careful."

"We are; I promise."

"Good; because I fully intend to be a Grandmother some day... just-"

"-not before you're forty, I know." He grinned impishly. "Does the year you turn forty count?"

Swatting him, she pushed him back towards the court. "Brat."

With a wink and a wave, Troy turned and headed back for the court - and when he intercepted a ball bounced towards Chad, spun to launch a perfect three point shot from beyond the arc of the Key, all he could hear was the acceptance and joy in his mother's tone. Regardless of the lesson his father had been trying to teach him, it was his mother's warmly delivered warning that stayed with him and put his world back into the spin it was supposed to have.

----------

Later that night, Troy would most remember the proud expression on his father and mother's faces as he started his first game as a Bear. Not the score, or the way he played - but the pride they displayed in his accomplishments. And that, he realized as he lay alone in bed, was what really mattered.


	37. Friendly Interference

What's this? An update? Oh my.... thanks for your patience guys :)

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_Friendly Interference - December 21st_

With his parents having left for Maui, Ms. Montez offered the spare bedroom to Chad which left Troy and Gabriella with the apartment if they so wished. Unfortunately, after their little hammock experiment the morning before, both were aware that - until Gabriella's appointment the following day - nothing more could happen. To be safe, as their physical relationship was still new enough to be both explosive and unpredictable, they were spending some time apart.

Troy had begged Chad to stay with him, leaving the girls with Ms. Montez' and Chad, being the pal he was, agreed. It helped that he was in a good mood after having been invited to join them for practice before the Colgate game the day before. The down side, Troy was finding, was that Chad now felt as if he knew the Bears.

"Man, they'd have no problems accepting Gabriella," spinning his ball on one finger, Chad lounged on Troy's sofa. They had a couple of hours before they would be joining the girls at the Montez house for dinner. They had two days before Chad and Taylor flew back home - time they were making the most of. "If they're willing to let me play with you guys, there's no reason to think a _spectator_ is going to make a difference."

"Drop it, man," Troy told him exasperated. Chad had been on the subject since the night before - and not let it go. "I'll introduce her when I'm ready. Preferably _after_ you're back in Albuquerque."

"They're throwing a New Year's Party-"

"No way; you _know_ Gabriella and I spend New Year's together."

"It wouldn't kill you to join them - they're throwing a karaoke party."

Troy arched his eyebrows. "Why don't I believe you?"

"Believe what you want, man, but it's true. I mentioned how you two met and they had the same reaction you just did."

"I told you she's none of their business!"

"Dude, your reluctance to talk about Gabriella's not helping things," Chad stopped spinning the ball to look at his friend seriously. "They know she's yours but that's it; if you'd bring her around a little more, they'd warm to her in a heartbeat."

"I've told you why I can't. Not until after we play Stanford at least once. If they know she's a tree-" Troy shook his head in frustration as he planted his hands on either side of the small window in the room. "With the locker room talk I can't risk it; they'd harass her."

"Only because you're keeping her a secret. Don't you want to spend time with them and your girl all at the same time?"

"Honestly I'd rather not expose her to their collective sense of humor..." his defeated sigh was audible, "I know it's gotta happen, man - and, to be honest, I'm dreading it."

"I don't see why. You know the effect Gabriella had on our senior class; I hear you're going to write a thesis on it - how can you think this would be _any_ different."

"We're not at East High anymore, Chad." Troy let the thesis comment slip without acknowledging it. "I know full well the kind of effect Gabriella has on people - part of me is terrified because of it."

"Of what?"

"What else?" Pushing away from the window, Troy put his back to the wall and stared off into space. "They'll monopolize her - and we barely get time together as it is. She's doing double majors; I'm working on top of basketball and theater in addition to my own school work. If I introduce her to them, she'll charm their socks off - after the obligatory razzing-"

"They'd razz her if they liked her or not, man; they're guys and they're jocks."

"Not all of us are like that."

"No, some of us scheme to get her to cut herself out of your life." Chad tossed the ball Troy's way - and Troy caught it purely on reflex. "You're just going to have to take the good with the bad, Troy - but on the bright side, this _is_ Gabriella we're talking about so the bad won't last long."

Turning the ball over in his hands, Troy contemplated what Chad was saying and had to admit he had a point. Gabriella wasn't someone that people - discounting those like Sharpay - didn't warm up to. And even then, towards the end of their senior year, Sharpay had shown a marked change in her opinion of Gabriella. Or so he believed.

"Bad or good, I'm dreading it - and the party tomorrow after the Colgate game."

"Party?"

"Yeah; I avoided it yesterday because my folks were in town and could cry off. Tomorrow there's a get together for the guys stuck in the dorm over Christmas; I was asked to invite you and Taylor along with Gabriella to come and hang."

"It's the perfect opportunity," Chad grinned. "Come on, wouldn't you rather introduce her to a part of your team now and the rest later?"

"Now's not the time."

"Why not? What other reason could you _possibly_ have for keeping her away from this party?"

Staring at his friend, Troy knew with sudden clarity that Chad was going to _insist_ on their attendance. Not only had he totally enjoyed practicing with the Bears and getting to know them, but he was a party animal. Chad was never one to shy away from a good time.

Neither, Troy admitted, was he - but this was different.

_How_ did he explain to his best bud that the very thought of trying to merge two of the three worlds he was a part of left him with a sick feeling to his stomach. Oh, he knew Gabriella would get along with his team - eventually - but the reality of what had occurred at East High when the Wildcats had discovered their friendship colored every possible first encounter. The Wildcats hadn't cared about their relationship... until it had promised to interfere with Troy's obligation to his team. If his friends, guys he'd gone to school with for _years_ could do that to him, there was no telling what the Bears could or would do.

Then again, they might not care.

A lot of the guys had girlfriends - just none from Stanford. Of course, if Troy had his way, Gabriella would never need to have anything to do with his team... but that wasn't in the cards and he knew it. Besides, he didn't want to compartmentalize his life and, honestly, he didn't really _want_ to keep her away from his team it was just...

"Things are too new, man," Troy's admission was soft as he stared at the skin of the ball, rubbing his finger tips over it. "Gabriella and I haven't been... intimate for that long, ya know? I don't want to share her with anyone."

Chad was surprisingly silent, drawing his gaze. They shared a look, the silence stretching at length between them and Troy finally threw the ball back at his friend, breaking eye contact. Chad couldn't resist teasing him to get past the awkward moment - as Troy knew he would.

"Not even Taylor, man? I mean, she _is_ her Christmas present after all."

With a short laugh, Troy pushed him away from the wall. "Not even with her own _mom_. Don't get me wrong, it's been a blast having the two of you here, but I can't wait until you're gone."

"I hear you. Think Gabby feels the same way?"

Heading for the kitchenette to get a glass of water, Troy grinned over his shoulder. "She ended up in the hammock with me; what do you think?"

----------

"Truth."

"Are there any really cute guys in your classes at Stanford - including Profs?"

Laughing, Gabriella didn't bother looking up from the magazine quiz that Taylor had _insisted _she take, circling another response as she did. "There _are _other guys than Troy?"

"Yes; so spill - are there?"

"A few; Richard Melbourne and Alan McAllister to name a couple-"

"Ha!" Taylor's exclamation was triumphant. "I knew you weren't blind."

"-but they're don't hold a candle to Troy." Gabriella looked up from her quiz, their gazes locking and both dissolved into laughter. "You knew I was going to say that, didn't you?"

"Honey, you haven't looked another guy's way since you _met_ Troy without mentally comparing them. I swear, if anything were to happen between you two-" Taylor rolled her eyes as Gabriella's smile started to fade at even the mention of the _possibility_ before reassuring her friend, "- and it _won't_, you'd be ruined for other guys entirely. You'd have to start going for girls!"

"Ha! Why settle for an inferior model when I've already got the best?" Looking back down to the quiz, Gabriella read another question before circling her answer. "Truth or Dare?"

"Dare."

"I dare you to... read aloud the diary entry you wrote about last night's hammock escapade."

Taylor's jaw dropped. "Gabriella!"

"Fair's fair. Come on; unless you're gushing about Chad and his appearance in the morning?"

"You're asking for it." Reaching for her diary, Taylor found the page and then, with a glance Gabriella's way, began to read. "_Dear diary,_

_Gabi's about the luckiest girl on the planet. I don't know of a single other guy who would do the things Troy does for her for their own girlfriends. Don't get me wrong, Chad was sweet, but we always knew it was a passing thing. Gabi and Troy are going to be together forever."_

_Gabriella put down her quiz, and wrapped her arms around her legs as she watched her friend read the entry - and couldn't help the shy smile that crossed her lips. But then, she didn't even try._

_"Like tonight, he couldn't sleep without her so he showed up on the balcony - despite the fact his parents, her mom and I were all in the house. I know what they almost did on the balcony - I've never seen so much of her skin outside of a locker room! - but Gabi won't tell me any juicy details about what happened after he carried her down. Yes, that's right diary, Troy _carried_ Gabi down the tree just so they could get all cozy in the hammock. Cozy; right. The gleam in her eye this morning suggests she got lucky again... in more ways than one - I only hope I'm so luck some day._"

Taylor finished reading and closed the cover with a dark look at her friend. "No more diary dares."

Holding up her hands in surrender, Gabriella agreed. "I couldn't resist. I know you'd tell me, but... you know, you'll find your Prince Charming some day, Tay."

"After I'm president, you mean."

"You're _so_ going to be married to your career. I bet you don't have time for guys."

"Only during vacation." Rubbing her hands together as she finished stashing her diary, Taylor pinned a look on Gabriella. "Okay, Gabi. Truth or Dare?"

"Truth"

Taylor rolled her eyes as she rolled onto her back to stare at the ceiling. "Can't you pick dare just _once_?"

"And have you dare me to run naked through the streets?" Gabriella pinned her friend with a pointed look. "I think I'll pass thanks. Besides, it's not like you don't get to embarrass me this way."

"It's only embarrassing if you're uncomfortable with the answer."

"Which is why you wrote it in a diary?"

"Exactly." Taylor's eyes gleamed as she considered what she could ask as payback for the diary question. "Truth... You're in for it Gabi - once the doctor gives you a clean bill of health, what's the first thing you're going to do to Troy?"

"Taylor!"

The grin that crossed the Poli-Sci major's face was positively wicked. "Hey, you're the one who didn't want to do dare."

"Kiss him," Gabriella responded peevishly, thwarting Taylor's attempt with a raised eyebrow. "We'll be in the doctor's office."

"I meant when you get him alone!"

"You didn't quantify it, so I don't have to answer - though it would probably be the same one way or the other. Kissing comes before anything else."

"You guys are _so_ unimaginative." Taylor's eyes sparkled. "But I asked what you're going to do _to _him, not with him. So fess up. I bet you just can't wait to tear his clothes off and see him naked again, huh?"

"Taylor!" Gabriella laughed, despite the fact that her cheeks were overly warm and her inner temperature had spiked sharply just _thinking_ about it. "You make it sound like I'm some sex crazed maniac."

"With _Troy_ as your bed warmer? I'm surprised you're not."

"There's more to it than that."

"Honey, there' always been chemistry between you two, but now that you two have gone all the way, it's so volatile all of us can practically _see_ it."

Squirming in her seat, Gabriella wasn't immune to the envy in Taylor's tone. Good-natured though it was, it only reminded her of the fact that her charming and adorable boyfriend was absent - and it only made her want him more. This conversation was doing nothing to help her keep her mind off him; not that she should ever have agreed to Truth or Dare with Taylor.

"So, answer the question, what are you going to _do_ to him?"

Scrubbing her hands over her face, Gabriella abandoned the magazine and pushed to her feet. The breeze coming in through the open balcony door did little to cool her heated skin - and the memory of what she and Troy had been doing on that very balcony the night before was no help at all. And, God help her, she wanted to finish what they'd started out there. The hammock had been fun, but-

"Gabriella?"

"Drag him back home."

"And?"

Gabriella pinned her friend with an exasperated looked. "And what do you think Tay?"

"Give him his Christmas present?"

Laughter erupted at Taylor's cheeky question before Gabriella could smother it - and surprised herself with an admission. "I think he got it early."

"Well, there's more than _one_ present a girl and give her man."

"We'll see. Honestly I'd like to drag him back here," Gabriella waved to the balcony, "only come prepared this time."

Taylor's eyes widened. "Against the _tree_?!"

"You asked - it was... wild." With a self conscious shrug, Gabriella paced back to her magazine and sank back to her previous seat. "Can we _please_ move on?"

"Wild Gabriella, who knew?" But Taylor held her hands up at the glare she received for the tease. "Okay, okay, we'll change the subject - it's my turn, right?"

"Right - so... Truth or Dare, Tay?"

"Hmmm.... Truth."

Gabriella couldn't hide her surprise. "Not dare?"

"Hey, one of us has to spice this up."

Gabriella grinned. "So how far did you _really_ go with Chad in High School?"

"Obviously further than you did with Troy." Taylor's grin was unrepentant. "How detailed do you want me to get?"

"I don't think I need them anymore," Gabriella told her honestly. "Just give me a general."

"If penetration wasn't required to deflower a virgin, I wouldn't be one." Taylor's grin was saucy. "General enough for you?"

Gabriella threw her magazine at Taylor in response.

"Does that mean our game is over?"

"Yes!"

Taylor smirked, righting the magazine as she scanned the questions and tallied them up in her head. "Five points. Mr. Perfect - your guy is one in a million." With a roll of her eyes, she threw the magazine away. "As if there was any doubt."

"Go to sleep, Tay," Gabriella replied, reaching over to shut off the light. "I've got a physical to finish-"

"-and a boyfriend to jump."

"Good_night _Taylor."

"Goodnight Gabi; sweet dreams."

Right.


	38. Alone At Last

_Alone at Last - December 22__nd_

Somehow, Troy managed to talk Chad out of attending the party with the guys; how, he wasn't exactly sure.

It might have been the way he and Gabriella couldn't keep their eyes off one another since they'd gotten back to her mother's after her doctor's appointment. It might have been the way Gabriella kept thinking up excuses to get him alone for a few seconds here and there; or it might have been Taylor's insistence that he and Gabriella needed some 'alone time' so close to Christmas.

Whatever it was, Chad and Taylor were going to party with the Bears, leaving Gabriella and Troy alone for the first time in days - and Troy found he didn't mind one bit that his best friend would be hanging with his team without him.

With her mother out Christmas shopping - nothing big she'd insisted, since Taylor's presence was Gabriella's gift, and Chad and Taylor heading to the party, they were about to be left to their own devices... and at a loss (initially) for what exactly to do with the unexpected hours of uninterrupted time.

Taylor was upstairs with Gabriella getting ready for the party, leaving Troy and Chad downstairs to cool their heels. Chad had asked for, and obtained, the use of Troy's truck for the night. He figured, rightfully so, that it wasn't going to get much use. Besides, it wasn't as if they couldn't walk to their place if they chose not to remain at the Montez house.

"Are you sure about this Hoops?" Chad asked, taking a drink from the 7Up he'd raided from the fridge. "You can still come with, you know."

"I know."

There was a distracted edge to Troy's words that Chad didn't miss.

"Troy?"

"Hmm?"

Craning his neck, Chad tried to see what held his friend so riveted in the back yard that was close to the patio. Following Troy's line of sight, Chad snorted. Troy's gaze never left the hammock that was in clear view of the wall from where he was leaning and a decidedly whimsical tilt to his lips said he was remembering the other morning - likely before having gotten caught.

"You are _so_ whipped, Hoops." Muttering under his breath, Chad tossed back the last of his soda and slapped the can down on the counter with a distinctive crunch, making his friend jump as his head whipped around. "Earth to Troy - best friend still in the house."

"Sorry, man. What'd you say?"

"Nothing important, apparently. So what're you and Gabby going to do while we're gone?" He phrased the question innocently enough, despite the sudden rush of color across Troy's cheek bones. "Charades?"

Troy coughed and glanced back out the window towards the hammock. "We'll probably take a walk."

"It looks like rain."

"So?"

Good point. Troy and Gabriella were probably _more_ at home in the rain than any people Chad had ever met. "I will _never_ understand why you two like the rain so much."

"It's not the rain," Came the instant reply complete with secretive half-smile. "Though it does have a certain appeal."

"If you say so. I still think you'd have more fun with us at the party; you're passing up a golden opportunity."

A silent shrug was all Troy cared to give in return; he'd had enough of the topic over the last couple of days. Changing the topic, he pushed away from the wall and turned his back on the yard - and the hammock that was as tempting now as it had been two days ago - he slid onto one of the stools at the island counter. "What time do you figure you and Taylor will be back? Gabriella's mom will want to know what time to expect her."

Ah, guy code - he understood what Troy was _really_ asking; _How much time do I have with my girl before you come barging through the door? _"If you don't have an issue with your truck being here for the night, we figured we'd both crash here. With your parents gone, I can take the guest room and Gabby can crash with you." Chad tossed the can Troy's way. "If that works for you guys tonight."

"I think we'll manage," Gabriella informed him pertly from the doorway, drawing both of their gazes as Troy caught the can. She grinned. "Providing of course, that you _don't_ call until morning."

"Wouldn't dream of it." The Redhawk assured her with a smirk, but Gabriella's gaze had already gone to Troy - and Troy was half out of his chair. The tension between the two of them was palatable and something that made even Chad feel like an intruder. It was an exasperated tension that had never been present in High School; but then, they hadn't been lovers in high school. "Where's Taylor?"

"She'll be down in a minute," Gabriella assured him, dragging her gaze away from Troy's. "You guys aren't going to do anything crazy tonight, right?"

"It's a dorm party."

"Exactly." was her immediate and arch reply. "Elizabeth and Elaine have told me all about _Dorm_ parties - in more detail than I cared to hear."

"Elizabeth and Elaine?" With a glance Troy's way, he gauged with a glance that his friend wasn't too fond of them. "Friends of yours?"

"Classmates."

"But they tell stories - do you?"

"She _did_," Troy muttered darkly, leaving Chad with no doubt about _whom_ and he couldn't help it; he laughed.

"Lemme guess, Hoops - they fell at your feet."

"Drooled on them is more like it," Gabriella returned testily, slipping further into the room and to Troy's side. "They weren't exactly circumspect in their approval."

"Among other things, I bet." Taylor added knowingly as she swept into the room. Her smile was infectious and the trio waiting for her returned it. "I still wish you and Troy weren't skipping out on tonight, Gabriella - we could be strangers together."

Chad slung an arm around Taylor's shoulders companionably and squeezed. "As if they'd be any use to us tonight if they did; they can barely keep their hands off each other."

Which was true enough; Troy was in the process of running the backs of his fingers down the exposed back of Gabriella's upper arm as he whispered something that was making her blush in her ear. Taylor and Chad shared a look before Taylor broke into the moment. "Can't you guys wait until we're _gone_ at least? I mean, you might have to wait for another hour or two before you can use the balcony but _come on_!"

"Taylor!"

Gabriella's scandalized tone was worth it and Taylor simply grinned. Starting to steer Chad away, she blithly added, "I used to tell you to have fun with him, but now I know you've more than that in mind."

Her friend muttered something under her breath and Taylor grinned; Gabriella was so _easy _to tease. They'd reached the doorway, leading towards the front of the house and Gabriella and Troy still hadn't moved to follow - Chad stopping her with a squeeze of his arm before they left their friends in peace.

"Hoops!"

"Yeah?"

"You forgetting something?"

"Huh?"

"Am I going to have to hotwire your truck?"

Troy pulled his gaze away from his girl, clearly not having been paying any attention to what Chad had been saying to him. "What?"

Chad rolled his eyes. "_Keys_? For your truck?"

"Keys? Oh yeah, right." Digging into his pocket, Troy pulled out the aforementioned keys and tossed them to his friend. "Have fun."

Catching the keys, Chad nodded once and then steered Taylor away, tossing a "You too" over his shoulder - it was a comment they were both certain Troy and Gabriella didn't hear. As they opened the front door to leave, Troy's question was unmistakable.

"Just _what _did Taylor mean about the balcony?"

Pulling Chad out of the house and closing the door behind her before they could overhear, Taylor barely managed to get to the truck and inside before she burst out laughing. Chad, knowing she'd explain once they were away, shook his head and started the truck.

----------

"What do you think she meant?" Gabriella tossed back with a smile that would have bordered on brazen if there hadn't been hot color in her cheeks.

"Dreaming about me again?"

"Always." She linked her fingers through his as she smiled up into his eyes. "Did I hear you right? We're going for a walk?"

"If you want to - or we could stay in."

She swayed his way as their hands dropped to their sides, and Troy applied the tiniest bit of pressure to have her take an unseeing step back. Their bodies aligned as he moved with her. "Or play in the hammock?"

"Or the hammock," he was all solicitation, but Gabriella could see the flare of approval in his gaze for her suggestion as he pressed her back against the counter, his head dipping towards hers. "Or on the balcony..."

The sudden rush of heat swam through her veins at his heavy worded suggestion and she knew he was remembering what had happened the other night on that very balcony. Without thinking, she tilted her head to his unspoken question - inviting his kiss - and tried to lift her hands only to find them held prisoner. Troy didn't relinquish his hold as their lips met - but only barely.

He brushed the barest of kisses across her lips before leaving them. The angle of her neck exposed it completely, and his lips dipped to explore the smooth column as her eyes fluttered closed. Caught, his willing captive, she made a soft sound of protest when he still wouldn't relinquish her hands, but that concern was quickly banished as his lips found the sensitive place that made her knees buckle.

Pinned against the counter, she was completely reliant on Troy to keep her upright; and he obliged. Still keeping her hands captive, he slid his hands down and around the curve of her hips, across her backside and then under. Lifted off the ground with a single movement, her head lolled back on a sigh. It was only when his lips returned to hers a moment later tied with the familiar feeling of coiled desire low in her belly, that she once again became an active partisipant.

One leg curled upwards, over his hip, and brought them intimately together. He inhaled sharply and it was that distraction that allowed her the chance to free her hands. They slid up his body with appreciative precision, up and over corded muscles and into his hair. Tilting her head to the side, Gabriella opened herself to his kiss and kissed him back.

_This _kiss was what she wanted.

Hot and demanding, it was full of love and fire - a mixture of repressed tension and denied passions.

Troy's hands moved, one sliding along her leg to hook behind her knee - making a low sound of approval for what she'd chosen to wear as his finger tips slid briefly over the bare skin of her upper thigh on their way - to keep her in place. The other tugged at the back of her shirt to pull it from the waist band of her skirt. "I've missed you," he breathed, the words almost lost against her lips. Her neck arched as his lips left hers to trail across her jaw and down the curve towards her ear. "I thought they'd never leave."

She laughed, only it was cut off by a gasp as he sucked her earlobe into his mouth. "Troy!"

"I want you."

There was no doubting _that_ fact - and she wanted him too - but...

"Here?"

He lifted his head, his eyes a dark, story blue. "Anywhere. Here. The garden. The hammock. The balcony..." her shudder of appreciation caught him and he smiled, kissing her quickly. "You drive me crazy."

"Same he- _Troy_!" He'd palmed her breast - his hand having slid up the expanse of skin between her lower back, around her side and to her chest with surprising swiftness - and flicked his thumb over the tight nipple. Arching into his touch, Gabriella found her shirt suddenly felt too restrictive; too tight. She moaned softly, her head falling back as his lips found a sensitized spot low on her neck where the collar of her blouse stopped him.

His fingers and lips teased her, the tip of his tongue dipping to brush the hollow at the base of her neck. The open button at the top of her blouse enticed him, and he couldn't resist exploring with teeth, lip and tongue

Gabriella's hands tightened in his hair as his lips brushed across her skin. His fingers dug into her thigh and she shifted, rubbing against him with a gasp as his lips closed over her cloth covered nipple. His other hand slid downwards, leaving the cover of her shirt and over her hip. Grasping the fabric, he lifted it upwards and - with a soft groan - slipped his hand between them.

The cloth against his skin was damp, and he didn't hesitate. Lifting his head back to hers, Troy claimed her lips in a searing kiss as his fingers delved beneath the fabric. Gabriella clung to him as he touched her, her head spinning with almost overwhelming sensation. There was an urgency to his touch that had been present that night on the balcony; an urgency she shared. More than anything that moment she wanted to feel him again; to be naked in his arms - to have him inside her.

As he slipped a finger inside her, and then two, stroking her from the inside out, she moaned against his lips. She was trembling and panting by the time he pulled back to rest his forehead against her. The fires were licking through her veins, a ball of tension low in her stomach painfully tight as she writhed in an attempt to ease it - to no avail.

Both of them were gasping for breath as Troy twisted his wrist to make her arch again.

But it wasn't enough.

"Troy... I can't... I need..."

He didn't respond with the words she expected; but they were words she understood. "Right front pocket."

Almost choking on a half-laugh, half-sob of relief, she released her hold on him and her hands dove for the location he'd specified even as his lips touched the base of her neck once more. Fumbling around his arm, she dipped her fingers into the pocket - and brushed the foil wrapper she expected to find. Troy inhaled sharply, the breath sucking against her skin as she tugged it free.

It was only then realized her feet were hanging off the floor and likely had been for some time - Troy held her pinned against the counter at a level that was easy for them both. But she could feel the tremors in his arms; despite his strength, their passions for one another were still new enough to sunder them. Reaching between them once more, Gabriella fumbled with the zipper that was caught between the back of his hand and the hard ridge of his desire.

His hold on her tightened, making it all the more impossible, and she pushed against him when her hand became trapped. "Troy... I can't..."

Something in her tone brought his head up and their eyes locked. Gabriella struggled against the inferno that continued to burn within her; Troy hadn't stopped stroking her simply because she'd retrieved their protection. Without a word, he backed away from the counter. His gaze left hers for a fraction of a second to glance around - and Gabriella felt them falling his way.

They didn't fall long before their momentum was arressted by one of the kitchen chairs. With Troy beneath her, her feet now reaching the floor, Gabriella reclaimed his lips and lifted herself far enough away to undo his jeans. A lift of his hips brought them closer as he shucked them to his knees. Skin met skin as his hand eased away and Gabriella broke the kiss unconsciously. Sliding down his length, but not taking him within her body, she felt him shudder beneath her - and knew she couldn't continue to tease.

The time was now.

Troy fumbled with her hand, claiming the little foil packet as she levered herself away again. It took only seconds before his hands returned under her skirt and once more pulled the fabric away from her center. Their eyes locked - stormy cobalt blue to near black - and he eased into her.

"Gabri_ella_..."

Her name on his lips, she'd later claim, drove her to it. The sound was the most enticing - erotic - thing she'd ever heard and she didn't want him slow. Taking control, she slid swiftly down, sheathing him completly within her. Troy gasped, his hands clenching convulsively at her and she heard fabric tear even as she paid it no mind.

Using the chair back for leverage, she began to ride him. Slow had no part in this joining as she circled her hips, testing the position, and slid forward and then back again, up and down, grinding into him and creating the friction they both seemed to crave.

But they were both wound so tightly, their desires too near completion that it couldn't last long.

Within moments, Troy pushed Gabriella over the edge with a strangled _"Troy!"_ - and in doing so, her body convulsed around his and drove his release. Drawn as taught as bow strings, they clutched one another before collapsing in the chair practically boneless. Her forehead touched his briefly before sliding to his shoulder.

Chests heaving, they stayed where they were for long moments, Troy running trembling hands up and down her back. It was only then, as he was coming down from the euphoric high and basking in the fact they were still joined intimately, that he consciously noticed that they were practically fully clothed.

Gabriella stirred in his arms, and he turned his head to press a soft kiss to her forehead. Her eyes fluttered open and a soft, sated smile crossed her lips as she lifted one hand languidly to trace his lips. "Mmm, better."

Troy laughed softly. "I'll take that as a compliment." Brushing his lips against hers with a smile of his own, he couldn't resist teasing her. "I think you like that position after the hammock."

She didn't deny it; there was something very primal about having Troy at her mercy and stretched out for her pleasures. "And I see that you learned from it too."

"You mean the front pocket thing?"

She nodded, her smile almost impish despite its lethargy. "After the hassle it was to get out of your back pocket, I'm surprised you didn't keep it in your shirt."

"Who says I didn't?"

Blinking, she slid her hand up his chest - and he could see her finally register the fact they were still almost fully clothed - and into his shift pocket. She laughed, withdrawing another foil square and arched her eyebrows. "Decided to come prepared?"

"Better to have too many than not enough; and even now I don't think I have enough on me."

"And just how many more do you have, Wildcat?"

He brushed a kiss against her nose with a wink. "One for each pocket."

She laughed, but they were already starting to recover and she could feel him stirring within her as her muscles contracted.

Easing her from his lap, Troy hissed as he slid free of her intimate embrace; much as he wanted to remain, it wasn't a good idea. Gabriella regained her feet shakily, feeling the torn fabric rubbing against her inner thighs and the sound suddenly made sense. Troy had torn her underwear - and she hadn't felt a thing.

As Troy regained his feet, he froze as Gabriella lifted her skirt - and proceeded to remove the strip of destroyed fabric. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to look away from the delightful picture she presented. Who'd have thought a skirt would be so distracting? Turning away to put himself to rights, he attempted to banish the image from his mind - with little success.

Their clothing put to rights, Troy kissed her lingeringly. "Go put something on that won't distract me all the way home, would you?"

"You mean something that isn't a skirt without-?" She held up the ruined panties.

"Exactly." He couldn't resist kissing her again, before reluctantly letting her go - even thought their fingers stayed twined together. "Did you want to shower before we head home?"

"Only if you're going to join me."

He groaned with the immediate mental image her words conjured, his fingers convulsing about hers. "If I join you, we won't be leaving any time soon."

"We have some time to kill before we can make use of the balcony." Reaching for him, Gabriella hooked a finger of her free hand through one of his belt loops near his zipper - and could _feel_ the truth to his statement. After the last few days, that was just fine with her. Taking a step back, towards the doorway, she smiled as she drew him with her. "I'll wash your back if you'll wash mine."

Folding like a deck of cards, Troy groaned and let himself be led towards the stairs.


	39. New Years Eve

_New Year's Eve - December 31st _

Gabriella woke to the feel of finger tips skimming her bare shoulder, taking a leisurely stroll over her collar bone and then gently memorizing the arch of her neck as they swept towards her face. Her lips curved just in time to be the recipient of his next exploration, and her eyelids fluttered open. The blue eyes she so adored gazed down at her full of warmth and love, complimented by the smile he wore and a shaggy mop of hair that needed a good combing. Troy, she thought absently, needed a hair cut.

"Good morning."

He bent to follow the path his fingers had taken, Troy brushing a soft kiss across her cheek, her smile languid as she stretched beside him. His hand ran up her stomach as her back arched and his lips tilted in an adorably shy grin. "Happy Anniversary."

Anniversary.

December 31 - the anniversary of their meeting.

"Is it here already?"

"Hard to believe, huh?"

"A little," she agreed, cupping his face in one hand. "I still can't believe you're here with me instead of in Albuquerque."

Wrapping his arms about her waist, Troy nuzzled her neck and shoulder, planting soft kisses on her bare skin. "Don't trust me that much?"

With a sigh, she rolled to settled back into his embrace, her arms covering his. "Far from it, and you know it. I just never dared dream-"

"Then maybe you should start." A quiet moment passed between them before Troy squeezed her tightly, making her squeak, and let her go. "Other than karaoke tonight, did you have any ideas of how you wanted to spend today?"

That they hadn't talked about it was a testament to the fact they'd been too caught up in Christmas plans and post Christmas euphoria. Not to mention getting unpacking at the two different locations and helping Ms. Montez pack for her trip and box away what they wouldn't be needing. It had been a hectic week since Taylor and Chad had departed and while Troy would soon be returning to 'reality' - meaning Bear's practices and games - they had a few more days of leeway.

"Unpacking?" Gabriella rolled in his arms to lay on her back as he propped his head in his hand and looked down at her, a faint smile on his lips. Her hand drifted up to trace that smile. "Or maybe packing - to bring what we don't need here to mom's place."

"How about we take a break from packing," he suggested, nibbling on the ends of her fingers. "Today's special for us; we should do something special."

"We do; we just have to wait until tonight."

He sighed, as if hard pressed. "You've no romance in your soul, Gabriella." She let out a shriek as he curved his fingers around her waist and squeezed in _just_ the right spot; a place he knew would draw that kind of response. With a grin, he rolled, taking her with him, so she lay across his chest and was now looking down on him. "I think I can change that."

"Another lesson in the school of romance by Troy Bolton?"

Both of his hands now free, he hugged her before lifting them to cup her face. "How about an old lesson?"

"A refresher course," she sounded intrigued, crossing her hands on his chest and resting her chin on their backs. "I wasn't aware I needed one."

"You don't - I do."

Gabriella gave a pointed look at the bed side table where Troy's Christmas gift to her was sitting; a crystal and glass rose, just starting to bloom, with an inscription upon the base; _This rose will wilt long before my love for you fades._ "Really?"

"Really." He bent forward to drop a kiss on the tip of her nose. "I was thinking something more romantic than sappy; something more... me."

"That isn't you?"

"The delivery left something to be desired."

She couldn't help it; she laughed. "Troy! Not everything you do can be a grand gesture, you know. When you first told me you loved me, we weren't anywhere special - just sitting on the front porch at mom's."

Arching his eyebrows, his look turned incredulous. "Nowhere special? Are you kidding me?"

"Okay, by anyone else's' standards; it was special to me."

"Me too - and not just because I drove over a thousand miles to get to you." he framed her face with his hands. "Think of that trip and everything about it as one grand gesture; I don't think they get any grander than that."

Despite the serious path their discussion had taken, a giggle escaped her lips. "I'm sure you'll think of something." She kissed him while smiling. "But I don't _need_ grand gestures, Troy. Even if they're sweet and incredibly romantic-"

"-and completely me." He finished her sentence with a smile, brushing his thumbs over her cheeks before sliding his hands down her neck and onto her shoulders. The path they traveled led them down her arms to where her hands were still folded on his chest. "I know you don't need them and - to be honest - I don't usually plan them and sometimes, the grand gesture is side effect of intent - like coming after you - but they do have their places."

"I suppose. That still doesn't give me any ideas for what we can do today."

"No?"

She shook her head.

"I've got an idea or two." Kissing her, he rolled out from under her. "But we can't go out like this."

Shifting to a sitting position, Gabriella crossed her legs and watched as Troy bent, naked, to collect the clothing he'd need. He shot her a look and she responded by placing her hands behind her on the bed, her chest thrust forward, and giving him a deliberately appreciative look. "Sure you want to go out at all, Wildcat?"

If it hadn't been for the flush to her skin, he might have begun to wonder what was up; despite all their intimacies, Gabriella was not brazen about her body. "No," he shot her a wry grin, reluctantly turning his attention back to his clothing. "But even if we stay in and make love until neither of us can move, we still have to go out tonight. It'll be easier tearing ourselves away now." _I think._

She let out a sigh, drawing another look, and extended her hand to him. "I'll wash your back if you'll wash mine."

As intended, her words immediately conjured an image in Troy's mind; Gabriella as she'd last in the shower with him, all soapy and wet, her head thrown back as she gripped the marble edge. He dropped his clothes, staring at her.

"Is that a yes?"

It sure as hell wasn't a no with the invitation in her eyes and posture. Taking the steps back to the bed, he grasped her hand and pulled her to her feet, his lips meeting hers as she gained her feet. Her hands immediately tangled in his hair as she clung to him. Sweeping Gabriella into his arms, Troy headed for the bathroom; everything else could wait.

"Can I open them now?"

"Not yet. Five more steps."

"How about now?"

"No!" Exasperated, Troy glanced at Gabriella's face as he turned a corner and drew her with him. "Don't make me regret not blindfolding you."

"I'm not peeking - now?"

"Gabriella!"

Her answering grin was cheeky as she followed the pressure signals from his hand. "I told you I wasn't good at waiting for surprises - especially a Troy Bolton surprise."

"You weren't nearly so impatient on your birthday."

"I _expected_ a surprise on my-"

"Duck your head."

"- birthday. Troy, just I _where_ are we going?"

"I told you; it's a surprise."

The soft crunch of dead leaves was underfoot as he stopped her momentum made her frown. "Now?"

"Now."

Opening her eyes, it took a moment for Gabriella to focus on their surroundings - and gasped. The bower she'd shown him had been transformed into a small haven of ordered chaos. The branches had been trimmed back, two blankets laid out - one across the natural bench, the other on the floor. Fire-less candles added light to the interior and a more thorough look around showed that Troy - it had to be Troy - had moved many of the branches around to block out a good portion of the exterior light. The bower had been turned into a private, cave-like haven with a single entrance covered by branches.

"Wow, Troy... I..."

He grinned, obviously delighted with her response as she turned slowly in place. Only then, as she was surveying his handiwork, did she spy the basket and bag Troy had obviously brought ahead to have his hands free to direct her.

A picnic; Troy had surprised her with a picnic.

"A refresher course, hmm?"

"With some modifications." His finger tips brushed lightly against her arm, directing her towards the bench. "I know it isn't exactly a golf course, but I thought we could improvise."

A teasing smile curved her lips. "One thing I've learned about you, Troy, is that improvisation is a skill you have in spades."

"Objecting?"

"No; jealous," she settled to the blanket covered bench, looking around again. "When did you have time for all of this?"

"I made time." Reaching over, he grabbed the basket and bag he'd set aside for their lunch. "Someone taught me a long time ago that it was sometimes a necessary evil when it comes to getting what you want."

Her laughter echoed through the small space. "You didn't learn that from me!"

"You sure about that?"

She swatted him, drawing one legs up to her chest and continuing to look around as she laced her fingers loosely about her shin. "This place is magical."

"I did good then?"

"Like you have to ask. You've a flair for the romantic; I bet you could do couples consulting or something."

"Consulting - not counseling?"

"The first you can help couples who're just looking for something magical," Gabriella looked around pointedly. "The other you'd have to sit and listen to their problems before you could recommend something."

"The school of romantic gestures by Troy Bolton?"

"Sure, why not?"

Their gazes locked and they shared a laugh before Troy shook his head. "Part of what makes something romantic is doing something on the fly. This," he waved at the tree cave, "takes a lot of planning and more than a little luck - impromptu waltzes on the school roof however..."

A blush climbed up her cheeks. "Troy..."

"I'm not the only romantic one, Ms. Montez." Producing a covered dish, he pulled the lid off and proffered it for her inspection. "But I do try."

Chocolate covered strawberries lay in perfect little rows along the bottom of the long dish. Gabriella's eyes shone as he placed it to the side before adding a can of whipped cream and sprinkles to the pile. She laughed when he produced a small container of ice cream from the cold storage bag, along with ice cubes for glasses and a bottle of expensive looking champagne.

"Champagne?" Reaching out, Gabriella examined the label before looking up to find Troy silently observing her. "Troy, this is..."

"It's a special occasion." he retrieved the bottle and proceeded to carefully open it. "I don't care that we weren't officially a couple until later; two years ago tonight is the night I've always considered the start of what we share."

"Then... all other momentous occasions should happen on New Years?"

_POP!_

Gabriella deftly slipped a glass under the neck of the champagne just in time to catch the overflow, Troy's hand having slipped - and popped the cork - at her question. "Is that a yes?"

"It would certainly make things easier." He tipped the bottle and half-filled one glass before she replaced it with a second one.

"No matter what day any 'momentous occasions' should happen Troy, I doubt you'll have trouble remembering them."

The bottle was re-corked and placed to the side before Troy accepted one of the glasses from her. "Maybe; I'd just hate to be one of those guys who can never remember the important things."

"Like what?"

"Anniversaries, birthdays - that kind of thing."

He didn't quite meet her gaze but Gabriella grinned, following his line of thought. "Mine, yours - or the kids?"

Their gazes locked, and Troy looked apprehensive for a moment. "Kids?"

Staring at him, Gabriella felt her cheeks warm and then shrugged, drawing on past conversations for ammunition. "You _did_ say you wanted kids eventually."

"Eventually," he agreed, sliding closer and touching the rim of his glass gently to hers and visibly relaxing. As he continued, Gabriella realized he'd thought she was admitting to kids _now_. "But not soon, right?"

"Nope," an amused smile flitted across her lips. "Not soon."

"Good," extending his index finger, he brushed it across the back of hers. "I guess now that we've crossed the road that will take us there some day, I guess I'm hoping I'm up to the task."

"Of remembering birthdays and anniversaries?" Her tone was amused. "Troy, I use the calendar alarm on my phone as much as you do. We just don't need it to remember _today_."

"Even if we hadn't met on New Years, there's no way I'd need an alarm to remember the day I met you."

"Me either."

They shared a look of complete understanding and Troy lifted his glass in a sudden toast. "To the day that marks the beginning of the best two years of my life."

"And mine - minus the odd moment."

"What, my blockheaded-ness?"

"And mine," her smile was soft. "You're not the only one who's made mistakes you know."

"Following a dream is not a mistake."

Gabriella put her glass aside without tasting it, Troy doing the same as she reached for him. "Following one dream at the sacrifice of another is. If you hadn't come after me..."

Troy pulled her into his arms, shushing her softly as he tucked her head under his chin and rocked her in his arms.

Gabriella clung to him; his solid presence and the beating of his heart under her ear soothing her. She'd spent the first weeks she'd arrived in California in complete agony, often waking from dreams so vivid her current life was lived with a dream-like quality. She'd worked hard to move beyond her dreams, to live in the present, and that'd she'd been able to had reassured her she'd been doing the right thing.

When Troy had come after her, he'd shattered the illusion that she was okay. Nothing had prepared her for the surge of pure joy that had accompanied the sight of his truck - and him in the tree - waiting for her.

"I don't think I could ever let you go again, Troy," her fierce whisper reached him despite her face being pressed to his chest.

"I won't ever ask you to, Gabriella." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, squeezing her tightly. "I think it might kill me if I had to do it for good."

"Liar," pulling back, she smiled at him. "You'd survive without me."

Cupping her face, he didn't return her smile. "I might," he agreed. "But I wouldn't want to."

A blush stole into Gabriella's cheeks; if she wasn't already in love with him, she'd have been helplessly lost by that serious admission. "I love you, Troy."

"I love you too." His thumb caressed her cheek before he bent forward to brush a soft, tender kiss across her lips. Pulling back, he quirked his eyebrows as he let her go. "Ice cream?"

Gabriella laughed and the serious bubble around them popped. "Just when I think you can't say something to surprise me..." her tease was light. "I'd love some."

Their conversation was light after that, drifting into nonexistent for long moments as they simply enjoyed being together and feeding each other melting sundaes. It wasn't until they were packing up that Gabriella brought the topic back to their future. And Troy, being Troy, unintentionally gave her the perfect opportunity.

"Another New Years blissfully spent - so far."

"So far? Just how many more are you expecting, Wildcat?"

"Fifty or more work for you?"

"So few?" Gabriella shrieked as Troy spun and scooped her into his arms. "Troy!"

Twirling her around, he kept her cradled in his arms, his gaze on hers. "I said or more."

Linking her fingers together behind his neck, her smile softened. "I hope so. Fifty years doesn't seem like a lot of time when the last two have passed so quickly."

"The time isn't important, Gabriella; it's how it's spent. However long - or short - my lifetime is, I suspect it really started the day I met you."

Her fingers tangled in the long strands at the back of his neck as she searched his gaze. "A lifetime, then?"

Troy's lips tilted into the adorable smile she loved so much as he lowered his head to hers and answered, his words a pledge for their future. "A lifetime and more."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Thank you to everyone who has read this since it was started and everyone who has read it since. I hope you enjoyed it; and I'm sorry if it seems incomplete in some ways - even with my outline, I couldn't salvage the drive to keep going. The ideas are there, but they refuse to come out on paper the way I want; nothing frustrates me more than a chapter that doesn't flow.

Losing all of that work a year ago really killed it - and I'm really sorry to keep you guys waiting for so long between the chapters.

So; there are 2 last chapters to this which were written way back when I initially had the ideas. Enjoy - and thanks for reading.


	40. The Proposal

**The proposal - 1 year later**

Chad elbowed the teammate beside him. "Told you the Bears would be down at half time. If Coach Montgomery is smart, he'll shift Troy into.. what the hell?"

On the screen before him, the half time show for the Bears hadn't yet started in the split screen as the announcers bantered back and forth about the game, showing the highlights thus far. The Dancers, however, were all in a crouch at the center of the court - as if holding a meeting.

Chad un-muted the television.

"... gentlemen, something bizarre is happening with the Bear's half time show; the Dance team is simply sitting there. Wait," the announcer held his hand to his earpiece and then looked over his shoulder in disbelief. "I have it from the floor that we have something special for you today. Tom?"

The camera cut back to the gym where the stands were buzzing with apprehension, murmurs audible as the silence on the court - unusual for such a monumental game between Stanford and UC Berkeley - gave ground to speculation. It only grew louder in pitch as the Dancers stepped clear of the court, leaving it vacant - and the two Mascots for the respective schools could been seen standing quietly side by side.

"What's happening man?"

"I don't know," Chad had a suspicion, but even that was so farfetched he didn't... "No way."

"What?"

Then music suddenly started - a slow, ballad like quality that Chad recognized as one of Kelsi's creations. A creation she'd sent his way to be forwarded on to Troy - something he'd _asked_ for. Chad hadn't been able to resist listening to it and the catchy saxophone introduction was unmistakable.

"No _way_... That son of a bitch." Jumping up from the couch, he scrambled around. "My phone, where'd I put my phone?"

"What's up, Danforth?"

"Phone." Chad patted down his pockets, his movements turning frantic. "Any of you guys seen my phone?"

"It was on your dresser, man; what gives?"

But Chad was no longer in the room as he darted to his dorm room and swiped it off his dresser. He bounded back out in time to see Troy on the television - dressed in his Bear's warm up gear - step out to the edge of the court. It brought back memories of the last time Troy had sung in his warm up gear - over five years ago - and who with.

Chad cursed, flipping open his phone as Troy turned in place, searching the stands. Finding the number he was looking for, Chad hit send. "Pick up, _pick up_..."

On the television screen, Troy found what - or rather _who_ - he was looking for and smiled; the lights were killed and a single spot light illuminated him as Troy lifted his microphone, opened his mouth and began to sing.

"_They say it's a man's world, _

_Well, that cannot be denied_

_But what good's a man's world_

_Without a woman by his side?_

_And so I will wait _

_Until that moment you decide"_

Chad paced back and forth, listening impatiently to the ringing of the phone. "_Pick Up_!" he practically screamed into the phone. And just like that, the other end was answered.

"Hello?"

_"That I'm your man and you're my girl_

_That I'm the sea and you're the pearl_

_It takes two baby, it takes two."_

"Coach Bolton!" Chad jumped right in. "Are you watching the Bears half time show?"

"No, we-"

"You have to! Grab Mrs. B and go watch; you _don't _want to miss this."

He didn't wait for their answer, rudely hanging up on his former coach before punching in the next number. On the television, where Chad's eyes were glued, Troy launched into the next verse.

"_A King ain't a King _

_Without the power behind the throne-"_

* * *

At the Bolton household, Jack Bolton dragged his protesting wife back into the living room without explanation and flicked the TV back on.

"Jack! What's this... all...ab..."

Both stared in shock as their son sang - live on national television - his gaze locked on one point beyond the circle of light as he slowly walked towards center court. There was no doubt in either of their minds at whom Troy was looking.

_"-A Prince is a pauper, babe, _

_Without a chick to call his own._

_So Please Darlin' choose me, _

_I don't wanna rule alone"_

Mrs. Bolton lifted her hands to her lips, folding them together tightly. "Is he doing what I think he's doing, Jack?"

"I... think so, sweetheart." Jack felt a lump rise in his throat and reached for her hand. "I think so."

"_Tell me I'm your king and you're my Queen, _

_That no one else can come between_

_It takes two babe, it takes two."_

* * *

"Taylor!" Chad just about shouted into the phone. "Taylor, are you watching the Bears' game?"

_"Don't you know? Lancelot had Guinevere. _

_Mrs. Clause has old Saint Nick"_

"What? No! Why would I?"

"Turn it on _now! _You'll be sorry if you miss this."

"_Romeo had Juliet,_

_And Liz, well, she has her Dick."_

* * *

Taylor frowned at the phone, the excited note in Chad's voice unmistakable - almost jubilant. Reaching for her remote, she flicked on the TV and turned to the channel - her jaw dropping. "Chad, is that... what is Troy _doing_?"

"If it's what I think it is, I'm going to kill him for not telling me sooner so I could be there!"

_"They say it takes two to Tango, _

_Well, that Tango's child's play"_

Taylor's eyes widened, quickly deducing what she was watching from the intense look on Troy's face. "Oh my gosh! I've gotta go!" Hanging up on Chad without another word, she frantically dialed a number she'd not had cause to use more than once before. Urging the other end to pick up, her eyes never strayed from the TV.

"Montez."

"Ms. Montez? It's Taylor, turn on the TV to the Bears' game, quick!"

"_So take me to the dance floor _

_And we'll twist the night away!"_

"Taylor? I'm in a-"

"I don't care what you're doing," Taylor interrupted her, rudely. "You'll regret it if you miss this, I swear!"

_"Just like Funkie Avalon, _

_Had his favorite Mousketeer."_

* * *

Ms. Montez excused herself from her client. "I'll just be a second." Reaching forward, she grabbed the remote and flipped on the television in her office, changing to the channel Taylor provided - and froze.

_"I dream of a lover babe, _

_To say the things I long to hear._

_So come close baby _

_And whisper in my ear." _

* * *

Collectively, scattered family and friends practically held their breath as they watched Troy step towards the bleachers. Another spotlight appeared, revealing where he was so intently focused - his gaze never leaving Gabriella's shocked, disbelieving expression. His foot touched the top step deliberately as he began to climb. Around him, the crowd - who had been clapping along - felt the tension building and fell silent, whispers dying as Troy's voice came clearly through the speakers.

* * *

"_Tell me you're my girl and I'm your boy," _

He took the next step, one more closer to where Gabriella sat on the aisle seat in the third row - wearing his team's colors with tears glistening in her eyes.

On Troy's face as an expression no one but Gabriella would know; the same intense look he'd given her while approaching her on stage the New Year's they'd met - the one that had made her back away to the point of almost falling off stage. Knowing him now, that look didn't make her nervous as it had then; it made her heart race.

"_That you're my pride and I'm your joy._"

Troy took the last step, his free hand sliding into his pocket.

"_That I'm the sand and you're the tide,_"

He pulled his hand free and went down on one knee - a collective gasp went up from the audience as he extended his hand - and a small, open velvet box was visible cupped in his palm. Light caught on the stone in the setting, glinting like starlight.

"_And_ _I'll be the groom if you'll be my bride_.

_It take two baby, it takes two."_

There was utter silence as Troy sang the last of the lines, still on one knee before Gabriella, his hand extended towards her.

_"It takes two, baby... It takes two._"

Her hands had gone to cover her mouth and tears were streaming from the corner of her eyes, her gaze on his. The entire audience seemed to be holding its breath with him, waiting for Gabriella's response.

Troy's lips kicked up in a nervous half smile, seeming to realize he needed to say something more. "Marry me, Gabriella." he said softly, though it was clearly audible through the forgotten microphone in his hand as he held her gaze. "Be my wife."

* * *

"Hell _yeah_!"Chad let out a whoop of delight, jumping in the air with a punch towards the ceiling, despite the fact his best friend couldn't hear him. "Go Troy! Man, you _nailed _it!"

"I didn't know Troy could sing."

"Drinks are on me tonight, guys!" They whooped and cheered, not really understanding why. Laughing, Chad shook his head, staring at the screen where two of his best friends were embracing."It's about time." he murmured under the jubilant sound of his teammates' excitement. "About damn time."

* * *

Taylor shrieked, jumping out of her chair. "Oh my _gosh_! Yes, yes, _yes!_"

"Taylor?"

She grabbed her roommate and swung her about joyously. "He did it, he finally did it!"

"Who did what?"

"Troy proposed to Gabriella, oh my gosh - that means I'm going to be a maid of honor; we'll have a wedding to plan - and little Montez-Boltons running around soon! Yes, yes, _yes_!"

Shaking her head, Taylor's roommate allowed herself to be swept up in Taylor's celebration as the cheering on the Television dissolved into a chant and Troy leaned in to kiss Gabriella.

* * *

In Albuquerque, Mrs. Bolton squeezed her husband's hand, tears streaming down her cheeks as Gabriella accepted their son's proposal with a nod, obviously unable to speak. Troy put down the microphone. He carefully lifted the ring from the box to slip it on her shaking finger, his eyes suspiciously moist and at odds with the ecstatic smile that lit his face.

Mrs. Bolton blindly stepped towards her husband, wrapping her arms around his waist - and his came about her shoulders - as she placed her head on his chest and they watched their only child bend to kiss the young woman who would be his wife.

* * *

Stunned, Ms. Montez completely forgot about the client sitting in her office as she watched her daughter - her _baby _- throw her arms around Troy's neck with a joyous, beaming smile. The kiss was short, but met with thunderous applause before Troy swept her into his arms and carried her down the bleachers to the court - where he promptly swung her around in an ecstatic circle, leaning in to kiss her again to the delight of the crowd.

The lights came on as the announcers cut back in at that point, the picture of Troy and Gabriella as they broke apart and waved - almost sheepishly - to the crowd visible in the corner. "And there you have it folks, a unique half time proposal from one of our own UC Berkeley Bears, Troy Bolton. We'll confirm the identity of the young lady whom is believed to be Gabriella Montez, a sophomore at Stanford University, when we have further information."

Clicking the Television off, Ms. Montez tilted her head towards the ceiling, a proud smile on her face and tears streaming down her cheeks. She'd known her daughter was lucky to have found Troy and that he was a rare romantic.

But - after that - romantic was too tame a word for her daughter's fiancé.

* * *

Troy pulled Gabriella close as they stepped out of the main lights and into the hall leading back towards the Bear's locker room. He bent down to kiss her again, lingeringly, and she held him tightly, her mouth eager under his. Reluctant to pull back, Troy tilted his head, pressing soft pecks on her lips as he eased back and pressed his forehead to hers.

"I love you, Gabriella Montez."

"It takes two, Wildcat," she returned, her eyes still shimmering with tears. "Only you would propose in song on national television."

He winked, brushing his lips across hers again. "Chad will never be able to upstage me now."

Laughing, Gabriella reached one hand up to brush her tears away. "I should have known it had to do with the competition between you two."

"No," Troy turned serious, pulling back a little. "I didn't want you or anyone else to doubt how I feel about you. To form a whole, it takes to halves," he tugged the chain he'd put back on for the occasion out of his shirt - he couldn't wear it for the game - his gaze never leaving hers. "Together, you and I are a whole; it takes two. You and me."

"Kelsi outdid herself, Troy," she blinked through more tears and laughed when he looked surprised. "You're forgetting I like her music as much as you do. I'd know her style anywhere."

"When I asked her to recommend me a song, she suggested a duet - until I explained what I needed." Troy's arms were tight about her, his lips brushing over her cheek as he spoke, unable to help himself. She was going to _marry_ him; for real. None of this pre-fiancée stuff. She was his honest-to-God, engaged, promised to him fiancée; and now the world knew it. "I didn't ask her to write something for me."

"But you knew she would," Gabriella ran her hand through his hair, sliding them down to cup his face and then back up. "Kelsi never could resist writing for you and I."

"I guess I kind of hoped she would," Troy admitted. "She's always had a knack for knowing just what to include. I promised I'd send her a copy of the finished song in payment."

Gabriella laughed. "I'm betting she'll see it on You Tube before the end of the day. You're crazy, Wildcat."

"But you love me anyway."

"Umm hmm." She leaned up to kiss him. "I love you because you're you; crazy and all - or maybe _because_ you're crazy."

He winked at her.

Gabriella laughed softly and plucked at his choice of ensemble. "What's with the track suit?"

"Remember when we first sang together on stage in front of an audience - back at East High?"

"How could I forget?" Her expression was soft. "You helped me through my stage fright."

"I thought I should remind you of that - in case you got stage fright again."

"Stage? What stage?" She cupped his face in her hands, running her thumbs over his cheeks, all sincere honesty. "All I saw was you."


	41. The Wedding

**Author's Note:** The end. Yes... wow... long trip to get here and a lot of chapters from start to finish. Thanks for reading everyone; here's the last installment of "_Like Lightning_"

Enjoy - and Merry Christmas

* * *

**Wedding Day**

Gabriella stopped at the end of the aisle amidst the murmur of their guests, her smile secretive as she met Troy's gaze. He waited close to the alter, re-splendid in the Tuxedo he'd had in reserve since the day he'd proposed. She knew, because he'd told her in the hopes she'd choose to marry him sooner.

Her lips curved further, the sparkle in her eyes having nothing to do with the day and everything to do with the man who stood waiting for her. As if reading her thoughts, Troy arched his eyebrows and twisted his wrist, activating the recording that would stand for their vows.

Music began to swell - music they'd been rehearsing with for the last week since it had arrived in the mail - and on cue, she took a step his way, extended her hand and began to sing.

"_Take my hand_."

He did as she asked, his smile reminiscent of the one they'd shared so many years ago when she'd taught him how to waltz. If there'd been music then, this song would surely have been playing - and maybe it had in their hearts, they just hadn't known the words. Kelsi, in her infinite wisdom, had found them.

"_Take a breath_."

Troy inhaled and exhaled, squeezing her fingers as he did so. Around them, the murmur of their witnesses died down but - if they'd looked - there was no mistaking the _pride_ in their parent's faces.

"_Pull me close, and take one step_."

They matched words to song, Troy glancing down at his feet - it was rehearsed and not only gave her a reason to touch him, but led them into the dance that would be their first dance as husband and wife. Or was it their last dance as fiancée and fiancé? It didn't matter - the minister had agreed to let them write their own vows and those vows had turned to song.

Naturally.

"_Keep your eyes, locked on mine... and let the music, be your guide_."

"Now won't you promise me," Troy's lips curved as he came in on cue, sweeping her into a turn as the strains of the waltz echoed through the church. The flashes of cameras were ignored and barely registered as they moved together to the music.

"_That you'll never forget_."

"That we'll keep dancing, wherever we go next."

Sweeping her into an intricate twirl, their voices melded as they entered into the chorus and back up the center aisle . "It's like catching lightning, the chances of finding, someone like you. It's one in a million, the chances of feeling the way we do. And with every step together, we just keep on getting better."

"_So can I have this dance_?"

"Can I have this dance?"

"Can I have this dance?" Together, they echoed the question as they slid apart, Gabriella spinning in a slow circle as she finally placed one hand on the edge of a nearby pew. Silence was prevalent throughout the church, only the flashes from the cameras clicking as their friends and families bore witness to the moment.

Yet, Tory and Gabriella seemed oblivious to everyone but each other, completely caught up in the moment and the magic of the music. Their gazes locked and Troy smiled, launching into the next stanza as he extended his hand her way - "Take my hand, I'll take the lead." - and she took it gladly. He spun her slowly, the skirt of her dress flaring out to caress the the slacks of his tux. "And every turn, will be safe with me. Don't be afraid; afraid to fall. You know I'll catch you through it all. And you can't keep us apart,"

He spun her again before drawing her closer and leading her back up the aisle towards the alter once more.

"_Even a thousand miles can't keep us apart_,"

Their foreheads touched and Troy could see the tears sparkling on Gabriella's lashes as their voices blended, building to a crescendo that was filled with every ounce of their feelings for one another. So perfectly did it suit them - the subtle intent behind the words - that it was all the more powerful for it.

"'Cause my heart is wherever you are."

Troy spun her once more before drawing her close, the congregation having picked up on the lyrics of the chorus as he bent his head to brush his lips across hers. Tears slid down her cheeks, but there was no doubting they were tears of joy.

They'd stopped dancing and were simply standing now, holding one another as they swayed back and forth to the music and stared into one another's eyes. Underneath the melody, as it neared the end of the chorus and headed for the bridge, Troy placed his cheek against hers. "Every dance," he promised her softly, his breath feathering across her ear and making her shiver. "Every dance if yours."

She was given no chance to reply as he began to sing once more and she blended her voice to his before launching into the bridge that described them so perfectly. Troy, for his part, led her through a series of intricate dance steps that hadn't been planned - but she trusted him implicitly and followed where he went.

"Oh, no mountain's too high enough, Ocean's too wide. 'cause together or not, our dance won't stop. Let it rain, let it pour. What we have is worth fighting for. You know I believe, that we were meant to be."

The result was a beautiful and moving bit of dance that drew them closer than before as they practically flowed across the floor. Her skirts brushed his legs, an echo of the way his presence had touched her life. Fleeting at first before enveloping it completely. As he swung her back close, their breath mingled as his forehead touched hers and the dance left them clinging to one another at the end of the bridge.

"Yeah!"

The church swelled with sound as the congregation joined in, blending their voiced to Troy and Gabriella's as the chorus picked up once more.

"It's like catching lightning, the chances of finding, someone like you." Troy slid one arm around her waist, lifting her off her feet in a sudden burst of strength and pulled her into his arms. Her hands looped around his neck as he spun her around - one arm under her knees, the other having slid up to her shoulders. "It's one in a million, the chances of feeling the way we do. And with every step together, we just keep on getting better."

"So can I have this dance?"

Their foreheads touched once more as he spun in place. Their eyes locked as she echoed the question without realizing that hers was the only voice capable of being heard - or that his had been the only one to ask. The congregation - as if a practiced chorus - had cut out just moments before.

"_Can I have this dance_?"

_Yes,_ his gaze told her, confirming his quiet vow from moments before. _A million times, yes._

"Can I have this... dance?"

The strains of the song faded away, leaving complete and utter silence in its wake. It was almost reverent in its quality, the rustle of her dress the only sound as he released her legs and they slowly slid down his so she could regain her feet. She searched Troy's gaze and caressed the side of his face with her thumb.

He regarded her intently before his lips curved and a sparkle that belied mischief - despite the seriousness of the situation - made his eyes practically glow. Straightening, he looked down at her with a carefully schooled expression. Troy had become a consummate actor and some of those skills were employed now. Not that anyone watching would know how he trembled - not from fear, but anticipation and joy for the step they were finally taking... one that seemed inevitable since their meeting five years ago this past New Years.

A question she well remembered tumbled from his lips with all the solemn dignity she remembered and then some. "Is that a yes?"

The answering curve of her lips as she stared into his eyes would have left little doubt in anyone's mind... and she gave them none as she echoed her long ago answer.

"In every language. Si. Oui. Da. _Yes_!"

A distant, dull roar built following her answer as Troy's gaze dropped to her lips before zeroing in on her eyes again - and watched as they fluttered close, her head tilting towards his. This time there was nothing to stop them. Everything they'd been through. Every step on their journey together had brought them to this point and, as the song said, it really was like catching lightning.

Impossible.

Improbable.

Inevitable.

Troy's lips claimed hers in a searing and heartfelt kiss that sealed their vows as surely as the song Kelsi had written. Her arms crossed around his neck as her finger delved into his hair, his hands splayed possessively across her back as she was lifted to her toes in his exuberant embrace.

It was a promise, both fulfilled and renewed; the end of their journey, but also the beginning of a new one. A dream of the future that they dared to believe would be just as exciting as their past; like lightning.

_fin_


End file.
